The machinery provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA) under its rice program is expected to make farm work easier and increase the production of recipient farmers associations (FAs) in Antique.

DA Antique Agricultural Program Coordinating Office head Sonie Guanco said three FAs in the province received various farm technologies worth PHP960,000 on April 24.

Two FAs from the municipality of Tobias Fornier were among the recipients, with a rice thresher and a ride-on hand tractor with a trailer for the Catoogan FA and one unit ride-on hand tractor with a trailer for the Pacencia FA.

The Takas Imbanggan FA in the municipality of Valderrama received one rice thresher.

Takas Imbanggan FA president Johann Roquero said their 56-member group works on a 42-hectare rice farm in Valderrama.

“With the thresher, we now have our own machinery that we could use anytime we need it and at the same time increase our production,” he said in an interview on Monday.

Since their farms are irrigated, they harvest twice a year at 120 sacks per hectare.

Members also share some of their produce for the maintenance of the thresher and other needs of their association.

“Every time the members use the thresher, they will give two sacks for the labor and another two sacks for our FA,” he said. (PNA)