The Dinagat Islands provincial government turned over to the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) a newly purchased farm implement and fully renovated facilities that would enhance the agricultural productivity in the area, an official said Friday.

In a phone interview, Provincial Agriculturist Rico Galinato said the PHP7 million worth of aid given to local farmers Thursday intends to help replace farm equipment and facilities lost or severely damaged during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in December 2021.

OPAg restored facilities include the agricultural storage building, the nursery site and the soil laboratory building. It also received a farm tractor with a capacity of 90 horsepower during the turnover ceremony which was led by Governor Nilo Demerey Jr.

“The farm tractor is worth over PHP3.5 million while the rehabilitation of our facilities had a budget of around PHP4 million,” Galinato said, as he lauded the efforts of the provincial government to provide the needed funding from its 20 percent development fund.

“It is the goal of the provincial government to aid the agriculture sector in Dinagat for them to fully recover from the ruins of the past calamities,” he said.

Galinato said the facility can store essential farm inputs like seeds and fertilizers.

In addition, there will be a 1,000-square-meter nursery center that will focus on the propagation and production of fruit tree seedlings for distribution to farmers.

“The soil laboratory is also important as this will help us analyze soil classification and identify the appropriate plants for production,” Galinato added. (PNA)