In a bid to modernize farming in the province and help local farmers improved their productivity, a PHP5.9-million rice processing complex located in New Visayas village, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte was inaugurated on Wednesday morning.

The Gravity Irrigators Service Association, Inc., (GISACO) a farmers’ cooperative, was the beneficiary of the rice processing complex.

Mayor Ernesto Evangelista, said the establishment of the processing plant was part of the local government’s continuing effort to help rice farmers affected with the implementation of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

“This project serves a living proof that our municipal government could actively address the problems faced by the rice farmers and the agricultural sector, in general. We hope this project could also generate local employment for our people since this will be managed by a cooperative,” Evangelista said in his speech.

The local chief executive has urged rice farmers from other barangays to take advantage of the facility as it would lessen their production costs.

Municipal Agriculturist Elmer Degorio said the multi-pass rice mill was funded under the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) rice program.

“GISACO will take ownership of the project. This project could generate income and provide enough financing for their operations especially to qualified farmers who are engaged in rice farming,” he said.

Degorio explained that farmers could avail of the services once GISACO starts operating the multi-pass rice mill.

“A multi-pass rice mill has a recovery rate from 65 percent to 70 percent. The farmers’ rice mills will be more efficient than most that are currently operated by rice millers,” he said.

Apart from the multi-pass rice mill, GISACO also received several pieces of farm machinery such as pre-cleaning systems, a destoner unit, rubber huller, paddy separator, and a multi-pass whitening system. (PNA)