Mindanaotoday.com | Simaya farmers receive P4.5M recirculating dryer from DA-10
By: Rexcelle Tolentino
MALAYBALAY CITY – The Department of Agriculture-10 (DA-10) headed by Carlene Collado, OIC regional executive director, together with the city government of Malaybalay, has recently turned over the almost P4.5 million recirculating rice dryer to the Simaya Agrarian Reform Cooperative (Simaya ARC).
Said facility has a drying capacity of six tons over 8-16 hours, which is implemented through the agency’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division amounting to P2.78 million under the Bayanihan 2 funds and counterpart by CLGU Malaybalay City worth P1,763,025.00.
The Simaya ARC is one of the few identified surviving coops in the locality with 118 members covering about 400 hectares (has) of rice area that expands to more than 700 has to its neighboring farming barangays.
Ferdinand Caraballe, DA-10, AMAD supervising agriculturist, emphasized that farmer cooperatives, and associations (FCAs) to become direct recipients of government projects must undergo the process of accreditation.
Further, they must register in the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development Information System (FEDIS) to access other interventions, particularly for rice-related facilities such as the rice processing center.
He added that this allows them to qualify for loans with the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) and Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) with no interest and collaterals.
Also gracing the activity are other personnel from the Provincial Operations Center of Bukidnon of DA-10 and the city government of Malaybalay City. (RLT | DA-10)
###