LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte (PIA) — Following the inauguration of the Rice Processing System II (RPS II) and distribution of agricultural machinery led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on July 19, rice farmers in Piddig, Ilocos Norte, expressed their gratitude to the president and explained how these projects can help them in their livelihood.
With a total worth of ₱71 million, the RPS II will reduce the cost of rice without affecting farmers’ earnings.
This modern rice mill is projected to boost milling recovery rates from 58 percent to 64 to 65 percent.
As a result, from 100 sacks of 50-kilo palay, farmers can now obtain up to 65 sacks of milled rice, compared to the previous 58 sacks.
“This is important for our farmers. Before this, we had to send our palay all the way to Bulacan to be milled. Who benefits from the processing then? The owner of the processing plant, not the farmers. Now that the processing is managed by a cooperative, the value chain will stay within Piddig and Ilocos Norte, reducing the costs for our farmers,” said Marcos Jr. in his speech.
The Piddig Basi Multipurpose Cooperative has been chosen by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) as the eligible beneficiary of this rice processing facility.
This cooperative has 1,100 farmers, managing a rice field of 1,400 hectares.
“We are very blessed here in Piddig, especially farmers like us, to be chosen as beneficiaries of this rice processing center. This will be a great help for us and for our family. Thank you, DA. Thank you to our president,” said Felix Cid, president of the cooperative, in an interview.
Aside from the rice mill, agricultural machinery such as a four-wheel tractor, a PTO-driven disc plow, a levee marker, a precision seeder, and a rice combine harvester were turned over to the cooperative, which will further enhance their farming productivity.
“We’re very thankful to President Bongbong Marcos for the agricultural machinery we have received. Before, it was very difficult to harvest. Now, our farming will be much easier because of the machinery given by the president,” said Arnel Balisa, a farmer-beneficiary and member of the Piddig Basi Multipurpose Cooperative. (AMB/MJTAB/PIA Ilocos Norte)
