Negros Occidental Mill Districts, block farms, receive P101 Million in equipment upgrades

LA CARLOTA CITY – The Sugar Regulatory Administration recently handed over P101 million worth of farm support equipment to identified Mill District Development Councils (MDDC) and block farms in the Visayas.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona together with Negros Occidental 5th District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo and SRA Board Member David Andrew Sanson, led the turnover of equipment to the beneficiaries last February 22, at the SRA-La Granja Agricultural Research and Extension Center (LGAREC).

Ten units of heavy-duty Dump Trucks costing P7 million each and 137 units of farm implements amounting to over P27 million and a tractor worth P3.6 million through the Sugar Industry Development Act fund (SIDA) were distributed.

Azcona said this is SRA’s continued support to small planters and organizations to ensure they are furnished with modern technology and equipment to be more productive.

“We will continue our best to maximize our resources, utilize the SIDA fund efficiently and for as long as SRA has the funds, we will give what is due to our farmers,” Azcona said.

Cong. Yulo echoed the same sentiment, adding that “sugarcane farmers deserve nothing but the best,” as he thanked Azcona and SRA for their commitment to improve farming practices and thereby uplifting the sugar industry.

Sanson also reiterated SRA’s goal of improving productivity and putting into good use the equipment turned over to the beneficiaries.

Atty. Ignacio Santillana, Deputy Administrator for Research Development and Extension (RDE), highlighted that the distribution and provision of Dump Trucks are part of the Soil Rejuvenation Program, one of the priority undertakings of the current DA Administration.

A total of 43 Block Farms and seven Mill District Development Councils (MDDCs) were the beneficiaries of this turnover from all over the Visayas region, specifically from the areas of Negros Occidental, Capiz, Iloilo, and Cebu.

Roger Regalado, block farm chair of Hacienda Sto. Niño United Farm Workers Association in Brgy. Tortosa, Manapla, Negros Occidental, expressed his gratitude for the support from SRA and the DA while Israel Telis, chair of the Lopez MDDC, lauded the program saying the dump trucks will be of great help to haul materials that will help rejuvenate the soils of their sugarcane fields.

Also in attendance were Helen Lobaton, Manager III of RDE-Visayas; Dr. Ma. Lourdes Almodiente, Chief Agriculturist of Extension Services Division (ESD)-Visayas and the OIC of LGAREC Station with employees from SRA-LGAREC, Mill District Offices, Block Farms and MDDC representatives.