Post-harvest facilities for rice farmers needed, says solon
In order to boost local rice production, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee wants to build more post-harvest facilities for rice farmers.
The solon thus filed House Bill (HB) 3958 or the “Post-Harvest Facilities Support Act of 2022.”
The measure directs the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to construct warehouses and rice mills in “every rice producing municipality in the Philippines.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the DA, and the DAR will equip these facilities with the necessary tools.
“Prayoridad nating mabawasan ang pasanin ng mga magsasaka. Magagawa ito kung mababawasan ang production loss (It is our priority to reduce the burden of farmers. It can be done through reducing production loss)...During our consultation among farmers and agricultural workers, one of the solutions we gathered is closing the domestic supply-and-demand gap and increasing productivity through post-harvest facilities provided by the government,” Lee said on Sunday, Sept. 18.
“Paulit-ulit ang problema sa kawalan ng post-harvest facilities at mga kinakailangang equipment (The lack of post-harvest facilities and necessary equipment is a recurring issue),” Lee said.
He added that–during the DA budget hearing with the House Committee on Appropriations–he spoke to Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) Director Dionisio Alvindia.
“Nangako siya sa atin na next year, ibababa nya at ipagkakaloob ang mga pasilidad na ito (He promised that by next year, he would provide these facilities),” he continued.
“With the vision to employ state-of-the-art equipment and well-trained personnel, post-harvest facilities especially in regions heavily producing rice should be able to produce properly-dried paddy and consequently better-quality milled rice. The presence of these facilities should also provide a safety net for farmers during periods of oversupply, when drying facilities are overutilized and private traders are not willing to accept wet paddy and/or offer very low buying prices,” the AGRI solon wrote in his explanatory note for HB 3958.