DAVAO CITY- Mayor Ernesto Evangelista inaugurated on Wednesday morning a P5,999,723 million rice processing complex in a bid to modernize farming and provide livelihood for the local farmers in New Visayas village and nearby villages here.
Evangelista said the establishment of the rice processing complex was part of his continuing effort to help the rice farmers who were affected with the implementation of Republic Act No. 11203 or the rice tariffication law (RTL).
“This project serves a living proof that our municipal government through MAGRO could actively address the problems faced by the rice farmers and the agricultural sector, in general. We hope this project could also generate local employment for our people since this will be managed by a cooperative,” Evangelista said in his speech.
The local chief executive has urged rice farmers from other barangays to avail and take advantage of the facility because it would lessen their production costs.
According to Municipal Agriculturist Elmer Degorio, the multi-pass rice mill was funded from Department of Agriculture’s rice program.
Degorio said the project beneficiary of the P5.9-M rice processing complex is the Gravity Irrigators Service Association, Inc, saying GISACO is the qualified farmer cooperative and partner of the municipal government in their effort to modernize the rice mill industry in the locality.
“GISACO will take ownership of the project. This project could generate income and provide enough financing for their operations especially to qualified farmers who are engaged in rice farming,” he said.
Degorio explained that farmers could avail the services once GISACO will start to operate the multi-pass rice mill.
“A multi-pass rice mill has recovery rate from 65 percent to 70 percent. The farmers’ rice mills will be more efficient than most that are currently operated by rice millers,” he said.
Wednesday’s inauguration was attended by DAR 11 Regional Director Engr. Ricardo Onate Jr., Hon. Eduardo Llorente, and Vice-Mayor Gabrille Eric Estela, GISACO members and officials.
Apart from the multi-pass rice mill, GISACO also received the following farming machineries: one lot, pre-cleaning systems, one unit destoner, one unit rubber huller, one unit puddy separator, one unit multi-pass whitening system, one unit brewer, one unit bagging bin, one unit portable moisture meter, one unit mechanical platform weighing scale, one unit digital platform weighing scale, one unit heavy bag duty closer, among others.