DA Secretary William D. Dar turned over an Organic Production Center with common service facility amounting to P9.5M to the Local Government Unit of Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte during his recent visit in the province.

The project under Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) is an improvement of the existing 2.6-hectare Municipal Organic Production and Techno-Demo Center.  

The common service facilities include two units cacao solar driers, a rice solar drier, warehouse, fermentation facility, vermi storage and a vermi shed with three composting beds.

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These facilities will support and augment the increasing production of rice, corn, and cacao in the area.

Around 6,500 farmers will benefit from the production center such as the increase in the market value of rice (13%), corn (29%) and cacao (9%) due to the availability of warehouse.  There will also be an increase in the value of commodities due to the availability of solar dyers by 22% (rice), 17% (corn) and of cacao beans by 38% due to proper fermentation process, and many others.

The significant increase of farmers adopting natural farming practices is not only for rice but also for vegetables, banana and other high value commercial crops. Demand for organic fertilizers is also expected to increase.

The completion of the improvement of the common service facilities in the municipality provides easy access of farmers to better post-harvest facilities as it envisions to produce sufficient and good quality farm produced. | via Janelle Flores, RAFIS11