by Ram Bill G. Bautista, RPCO3 InfoACE

The municipal government of Talavera, Nueva Ecija held the groundbreaking ceremony on its proposed 120,000-bag onion cold storage facility on February 3, 2024 in Brgy. Bantug Hacienda, Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

The Php255-million facility is implemented under the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Scale-Up. It is expected to benefit small onion growers in Talavera and nearby areas by having the option to store their produce during the peak season when onion prices are usually low.

In his message, Talavera Mayor Nerito Santos Jr. highlighted other significant benefits included on the subproject such as seeds lending and no advanced payment of storage fees. “Tayo ay ng pabuto at walang advance na bayad para po sa storage fee. Ito po ay babayaran na nila kapag naibenta na nila ‘yong kanilang sibuyas sa mas mataas na halaga (We will lend seeds and not require advance payments for the storage fee. They will only pay once they’re already able to sell their onions for a higher price),” Santos said.

_{Talavera Mayor Nerito Santos Jr (right) and Vice Mayor Nerivi Martinez (right)}

Santos also assured that the income from the facility will be used to continuously help the onion farmers. “Siyempre po, ‘yong ating onion cold storage ay kikita. ‘Yong kita po nito ay [ibibigay] din po sa ating mga onion growers (Since we’re sure that the facility will generate income, it will be used to continuously help our onion growers),” he added.

The ceremony was led by Mayor Santos, Vice Mayor Nerivi Santos-Martinez, DA Logistics Assistant Secretary Daniel Alfonso Atayde, DA Regional Executive Director and DA-PRDP PSO North Luzon Project Director Dr. Eduardo Lapuz Jr., and DA-PRDP Regional Project Director Dr. Arthur Dayrit. Also present in the ceremony are municipal staff, barangay officials, DA-PRDP Central Luzon staff, and farmer beneficiaries.

DA Asec. Daniel Alfonso Atayde

The Talavera Onion Cold Storage is the first subproject approved under the DA-PRDP Scale-Up and is the seventh onion cold storage approved under the original DA-PRDP since 2014. The facility is set to be completed in June 2026.