Palayan City, NUEVA ECIJA – The P190-million Cold Storage Facility under the Department of Agriculture -Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) nears completion as it registered 91% on its physical accomplishment.

This was revealed during the site inspection conducted by the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO 3) Rural Infrastructure Engineer Bon Alexis Guatato and Geomapping and Governance GIS Data Officer Engineer Maurice Pineda on August 25, 2020.

Now, along with the implementing modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), the construction of the subproject recently resumed to meet its target completion, granted that safety guidelines and health protocols are strictly followed.

Engr. Guatato stated the cold storage will serve as a collection center where onions harvested from surrounding farms are to be cured, sorted and packed in crates or bags by farmers.

He also disclosed that pre-testing of technologies and systems of the facility will be piloted in the third or fourth week of October prior to its turnover in November of this year.

“The cold storage facility was designed with precision to keep farm produce specifically onions to be stored at an ideal temperature,” Engr. Guatato added.

The facility is built in a 2,422-square meter lot donated by the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magsisibuyas ng Nueva Ecija (KASAMNE) with an initial capacity of 120,000 bags.

This subproject of the DA-PRDP aims to maximize the produce of farmers by limiting spoilage while maintaining quality and freshness. (MA. REINA LEN G. LUNA, RPCO3 InfoACE)