TACLOBAN CITY (PIA) — For a stronger, smarter, and more sustainable rice industry in the region, the National Food Authority (NFA) recently broke ground to commence the construction of the P550 million modern warehouse located in Alangalang, Leyte.
A similar warehouse is also up for construction in Oras town in Eastern Samar.
These warehouses, once completed, will be equipped with dryers, millers and post-harvest facilities which aim to improve rice quality, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance farmers’ incomes.
NFA Acting Deputy Administrator John Robert Hermano, who led the groundbreaking ceremony, said the modern warehouses will improve the management of the NFA’s buffer stock, allowing the agency to release rice stocks to stabilize prices during food security emergencies.
“This is big and important to our rice storing capacity and in assisting farmers for post-harvest activities in the region,” Hermano said.
With upgraded drying technology, farmers will also be able to sell palay with higher moisture content, preventing traders from manipulating moisture levels in palay to drive down prices.
The program is part of NFA’s P10 billion modernization project to enhance rice storage and processing capabilities across regions in the country. This includes constructing new rice mills, upgrading drying facilities, and expanding warehouse capacities.
The Leyte modernized warehouse will have a storage capacity of 18,000 metric tons of palay or equivalent to 360,000 bags. This will allow the NFA to purchase rice with higher moisture content, thus easing the burden on farmers.
Across the Philippines, the once simple warehouse of the NFA is undergoing dramatic transformation, signaling a hopeful future for farmers and consumers alike.
In the midst of this transformation is a bid toward smart, climate-controlled storage facilities. Traditional warehouses, long plagued by issues like moisture, pests, and spoilage, are being replaced or upgraded with temperature and humidity management systems.
The modernization projects are expected to be operational by late 2026, ahead of the 2027 summer harvest. (ACR/PIA Leyte)
