Thirteen farmers associations in Negros Occidental have recently been equipped with state-of-the-art post-harvest machinery by the provincial government.

The initiative aims to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance productivity among rice farmers in the region, according to data from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

All 15 units, worth PHP153,300 each, have a total cost of almost PHP2.3 million, benefiting some 8,500 farmers.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said in a statement on Thursday the province is providing rice farmers with these machines to make post-harvest easier and help them earn more income.

The distribution ceremony commenced at the Negros First Organic Technology Center in Barangay Tabunan, Bago City.

“I ask you to take care of this project,” Lacson said.

Of the 13 recipients, the Federation of Irrigators Association–Central Negros (FIACN) received three units, catering to its 7,952 members across 44 associations, covering 11,763 hectares.

Other recipients hailed from various cities including Bago, Victorias, Don Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Candoni, Hinoba-an Murcia, La Castellana, and Moises Padilla.

These custom-built rice threshers are designed with advanced efficiency features, offering significantly higher capacity compared to traditional manual threshers, OPA said.

It added that to ensure the proper use and upkeep of the machinery, orientation sessions on the operation, maintenance, and rules for the rice threshers were conducted for the recipient-farmers associations.

Last July, most of the beneficiaries of the rice threshers also received floating tillers, a walking-type agricultural tractor, for fast and efficient land preparation. (PNA)