MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday renewed his administration’s push for agricultural modernization, announcing that 150 rice processing systems have already been built nationwide, with more lined up for completion and construction starting this year.
Speaking at the launch and turnover of key agriculture support projects in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Marcos said the government aims to establish rice processing facilities in every major rice-producing province to improve productivity and farmer income.
Among the facilities launched was the Rice Processing System II, which Marcos said was designed to raise milling recovery rates from 55 percent to as high as 65 percent, reducing post-harvest losses by 32,000 metric tons annually, potentially generating PHP541 million in additional income for farmers.
“Bahagi ito ng mas malawak nating layunin. Sa ilalim ng ating administrasyon, nakapagpatayo na po tayo ng 150 na ganitong Rice Processing System (This is part of our broader objective. Under our administration, we have already built 150 of these Rice Processing Systems),” Marcos said.
The President said 20 more systems will be completed in 2025, while 50 new ones are set for groundbreaking within the year.
“Ang gusto sana naming gawin ay bawat – pero ‘yung malalaking probinsya kailangan dalawa – at the very least bawat malaking rice growing (What we want is one per province—but large provinces will need two—at the very least, every major rice-growing area),” he said.
Also launched was the SUnRISE Integrated Coconut Processing Facility, a public-private initiative aimed at transforming the coconut industry in Northern Mindanao. SUnRISE is short for Solving Unemployment through Rural Industrialization, Sustainable and Enterprise development. (PNA)