BACOLOD City – To boost its farm mechanization program, the Negros Occidental provincial government bought P9.2 million worth of agricultural machinery.
They included two 70-horsepower harvesters worth P4.4 million; three ride-on transplanters, P3.2 million; two walk-behind transplanters, P800,000; and a laser leveler, P800,000.
These are currently housed at capitol’s Rice Processing Complex in Barangay Tabunan, Bago City, said Office of the Provincial Agriculturist head Japhet Masculino.
These machines were among the P25 million worth of farm mechanization equipment the province was buying, Masculino said.
The others – five tractors and three 35-horsepower harvesters worth P15.8 million – were expected to arrive next week.
By that time “we can start the province-led focused mechanization program [using] these farm machines,” Masculino said.
The OPA was developing a 200-hectare rice farm in Barangay Taloc, Bago City into a model farm through full mechanization.
Under the focused mechanization program, capitol will provide the machinery and operate the farm – from land preparation to transplanting and harvesting.
“We will teach farmers how to operate these machines as we move toward full mechanization. We will have a pool of ready and equipped operators,” said Masculino.
Last week the provincial government through the Provincial Engineer’s Office announced that it has acquired 13 brand-new dump trucks worth P84.964 million to be used for various engineering and construction projects.
Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. inspected the dump trucks at the capitol on Nov. 6.
Provincial Engineer Ernie Mapa said they bought nine units of six-wheeler trucks worth P6.38 million each and three units of 10-wheeler trucks for P8.188 million each.
Capitol also bought a P2.98-million dump truck to be used for garbage collection. (With Philippine News Agency/PN)
