MANILA: Some 2,000 farmers from 20 qualified farmers cooperatives and associations (FCAs), as well as two local government units (LGUs) in the province of Sorsogon, will benefit from the PHP92 million worth of farm equipment recently distributed by the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) under the mechanization program of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). In an interview on Friday, Joseph Corporal, PhilMech regional focal person for RCEF, said the 36 units of machinery include 15 four-wheel tractors, four rice precision seeders, three combine harvesters, three walk-behind transplanters, two riding-type transplanters, seven recirculating dryers, and two multi-stage rice mills. "The farm equipment will benefit more than 2,000 farmer-members of the FCAs. The distribution of the machinery aims to increase the harvest and income of the farmers and to lessen post-harvest losses by using the appropriate farm mechanization technologies and equipment from planti ng to harvesting," he said. Corporal said the equipment distributed were procured under the 2023 funds, and another batch is expected in the 2024 allocated budget. "For RCEF, we target four provinces in the Bicol Region. We will distribute another PHP72 million worth of types of machinery in Sorsogon province and to other provinces in Bicol," he said. The national government has implemented the RCEF to assist farmers as compensation for the projected loss of farm income arising from the rice tariffication. (PNA) Source: Philippines News Agency