SOME P40 million has been allocated by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for warehouses with dryers in eight places in Nueva Ecija to better help farmers with their storage and drying needs, as well as to reduce post-harvest losses.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that each facility costs P5 million and will be released within the next three months. The funding for the said projects comes from the department's budget for this year.
"The program will be undertaken by the DA Regional Field Office 3 (RFO-3) led by Director Cris Bautista, who is tasked to coordinate with the Nueva Ecija Provincial Government to completely identify other beneficiaries," Dar said.
Dar assured that the projects will be maximized for the benefit of farmers.
"Dapat natuto na kami. Dapat natuto na ang mga kawani ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka na huwag na ulitin yung mga hindi gumagana na mga teknolohiya (We should have learned. The personnel of the Department of Agriculture should have learned not to again use those technologies which are not working)," Dar said.
Dar is also keen on the continued implementation of the rice tariffication.
"Matagal na dapat (it should have been done a long time ago). So, this is now the time to bite the bullet. And biting the bullet we have birth pains kagaya nito (like this)," he said.
