380 Pangasinan ARBs receive P8 million-worth of farm machineries and equipment from DAR

November 16, 2020, 9:36 am

CaptDepartment of Agrarian Reform Sec. Bro. John Castriciones leads the distribution of farm inputs, machineries, and equipment in an awarding ceremony in San Nicolas, Pangasinan on October 28. ion

SAN NICOLAS, PANGASINAN--The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Pangasinan awarded over P8 million-worth of farm inputs and machineries to at least 380 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) on Wednesday. The ARBs are members of 11 agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) from 11 municipalities.

The department awarded farm inputs such as seeds and fertilizers, and farm machineries and equipment (FMEs) such as engine pumps, backpack sprayers, and 4WD tractors under its Climate-Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) project, which first began in 2017. The program has aimed to provide farmer-beneficiaries the means to bounce back from agricultural losses caused by extreme weather conditions.

DAR Secretary John Castriciones headed the distribution in San Nicolas gymnasium.

“Kailangan talaga ng ating mga magsasaka ng konkretong tulong galing sa pamahalaan,” Castriciones said. “Sa panahon ngayon ng pandemya, halos lahat ng businesses, korporasyon (ay) lugi, pabagsak lahat. Pero ang sandalan natin, ‘yung ating mga magsasaka. Kung walang magsasaka, walang pagkain sa hapagkainan.”

The ARBOs chosen for this batch of CRFPS are: Farm inputs and FMEs were awarded to the following ARBOs: Gualsic Agriculture Cooperative (Alcala); Malasiqui Onion Growers Association (Malasiqui); Barlo Agrarian Reform Cooperative (Mabini); Samahan ng mga Magsasaka ng San Miguel Burgos, Inc. (Burgos); Maresma Agrarian Reform Cooperative (Balungao); Organic Pares-Pares MPC (San Nicolas); Umingan Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative (Umingan); Northern Bayambang MPC (Bayambang); Carusucan Agrarian Reform Cooperative (Sta. Barbara); and Bugallon Federation of Free Farmers Marketing Cooperative (Bugallon); and Macalang Pantol Farmers Association (Dasol).

Since 2017, DAR Pangasinan has awarded over P23 million worth of farm input and FMEs to Pangasinan-based ARBOs.

Meanwhile, Castriciones acknowledged the effects of the liberalization of rice importation to the income of local farmers. While the National Food Authority matrix places the effective buying price of palay at P19.00 per kilogram, individual farmers may be selling their produce to private buyers at lower prices. The secretary, however, assured that the government will put an end to this farmers’ plight.

“Totoo iyan… Nagko-compete ngayon ‘yung mga na-import na mga produkto doon sa mga inani ng ating mga magsasaka. Because of that, naging masyadong marami ang supply, kakaunti ‘yung demand, so siyempre bumaba ang presyo ng bigas. But this will be corrected, definitely,” he added. (Zarena Amado/Information Officer)

 

 

 

2024 Department of Agrarian Reform.