Yap commits 3 flatbed mechanical dryers for Iloilo
Three flatbed mechanical dryers were committed by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to the municipality of Badiangan, Iloilo.
This was learned from Regional Director Larry Nacionales of the Department of Agriculture, Region VI in a PIA interview following the recent visit of Secretary Yap to said Iloilo town.
Director Nacionales said a flatbed dryer, is one of the post-harvest facilities usually recommended by the DA to farmers in order to minimize losses during harvest season.
Secretary Yap, in one of his statements in several gatherings, said that "by putting up flatbed dryers, the country could save 8% losses in drying alone. With the expected palay production of 16.2 million metric tons in 2007, 1.3 million metric tons can be saved."
The agriculture secretary was in Iloilo to launch the hunger mitigation program in rainfed reas in Badiangan, and likewise conducted a forum with the farmers to impart the agenda of the agriculture department.
Other projects committed by DA in Badiangan, although Nacionales said they have yet to finalize the specifics, will include the rehabilitation of their existing small irrigation system and the deep well which also support their organic vegetable growing.
"The farm to market road was also considered to support in this production area," Nacionales said as he emphasized that while Badiangan, Iloilo is noted for its ginger production, will require packaged proposal on how to expand their ginger (salabat) processing, to be funded under the Agricultural Competitive Enhance Fund (ACEF) program of the DA.
(T.Villavert/PIA)