Another batch of farm machinery was distributed to farmers in Batac City, Ilocos Norte by the city government on Tuesday.

Vice Mayor Windel Chua led the distribution of 30 hand tractors to selected farmers who have yet to receive any farm machinery in the past.

“Each unit of hand tractor will be shared by 10 farmer-beneficiaries,” he said.

The city government continues to prioritize the needs of farmers by assisting them to embrace farm mechanization, he added.

Under the farm mechanization program, its local officials have appropriated around PHP100 million for agriculture modernization.

The amount was sourced from the city government’s share in tobacco excise tax to help reduce the cost of production and maintain a good quality of agricultural products.

Aside from distributing farm machinery, the city government is also giving hybrid and certified rice seeds, fertilizers, vegetable seeds, and micronutrients for soil conditioning.

This covers all its registered farmers under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.

Farmer-beneficiary Juan Camalig said farmers in Batac are lucky for having a city government that thinks of their welfare.

“Thank you to our local officials and the city government of Batac for the needed support, particularly in this time of crisis,” he said. (PNA)