The newly inaugurated rice processing systems (RPS) in Hamtic and Patnongon towns in Antique are expected to boost production in the province.

The two RPS worth PHP129 million, realized through the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech), were turned over to the Kalipunan ng mga Magsasaka sa Patnongon (KAMAPAT) in Patnongon and Hamtic Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) in Hamtic on Nov. 20.

“The recipient cooperatives will be providing farmers access to these facilities from drying to milling,” DA Antique coordinating office head Sonie Guanco.

The KAMAPAT RPS is complete with rice mill, dryer, and warehouse worth PHP63.737 million, while the Hamtic MPC has rice mill, dryer, warehouse, hauling truck, forklift, weighing scale and moisture meter, amounting to PHP60.866 million.

Guanco said the recipients will have to craft internal policies for the utilization and charges for the use, to defray the cost of maintenance and operations.

“Immediately after the inauguration of the two RPS, the cooperatives already started their operation,” Guanco said.

Farmers from other municipalities in the province could coordinate with the cooperatives for them to access the facilities.

The inauguration was led by Lone District Rep. Antonio Agapito Legarda, Governor Paolo Everardo Javier, PhilMech Director Joel Dator, cooperative officials, and the municipal mayors of the recipient towns. (PNA)