Rice processing complex opens in 4 months
STA. BARBARA–Construction of the state-of-the-art rice processing complex (RPC) at the Provincial Nursery Compound here is expected to be completed by July and operations to formally start by September or October.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Technical Director Cris Bautista has reported to the visiting representatives of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) led by Kin Jen Oh that construction work is now 50% complete as scheduled.
Once completed, the RPC will be equipped with state-of-the-art post harvest facilities and will serve as a one-stop service center for milling, drying and storing, aside from providing contemporary production technologies to produce high quality rice.
Once completed, a farmers’ organization will be trained to manage the facilities.
The establishment of the RPC will improve efficiency in the rice post-production system through reduction of post-harvest losses, enhancement in the quality of milled rice, improvement of the distribution system and maximization of rice by-products.
KOICA provided the grant of P160 million to finance the project, which is expected to benefit more than 200,000 farmers throughout the province.
The project is covered by a memorandum of agreement signed by Governor Amado Espino Jr. with KOICA and the DA.
The provincial government provided the lot for the building, power lines, and a water stream. Construction of a drainage system and the concreting of the access road are also about to start.
On the other hand, DA shouldered the transportation cost of the facility materials from the port to the site and will provide P20 million for the initial start-up capital for the operation of the complex.
The provincial government and the DA have also requested KOICA to provide a generator set capable of running the whole complex, instead of just one that can power the lighting as specified in the MOA, for a continuous operations of the plant during the typhoon season when power outages could be expected.
The RPC will be jointly owned by the province and the DA, and has a total cost of about P200 million including local counterpart funds.—LM
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
