Bill pushes more postharvest aid

MORE NEEDED | This file photo shows a recently completed cold storage facility, more of which are needed across the country.

MANILA, Philippines — AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee on Sunday urged his colleagues at the House of Representatives to consider the immediate passage of a measure that would ensure the setup of more postharvest facilities to boost farm productivity nationwide.

Lee emphasized the crucial role of postharvest facilities such as cold storage and dryers to help farmers increase their income and reduce food prices.

He cited Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.’s statement that the government needed P93 billion to build postharvest facilities and prevent corn and rice wastage. Laurel had said that around 12.7 to 15 percent of rice production is lost due to the lack of postharvest facilities.

The DA chief said the department will rely heavily on postharvest facilities to have more product recovery and to lower the cost of rice and corn.

A postharvest facility will soon rise in Dingras, Ilocos Norte, which has a 120 metric ton capacity and the DA is eyeing similar facilities in Concepcion, Tarlac; Dumangas, Iloilo; and Musuan Maramag, Bukidnon, he said.

3-year plan

Under the Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization program of the National Food Authority, the government plans to build 196 dryers, 48 silos, 221 warehouses, 57 rice mills, 24 corn mills, and 638 handling equipment all over the country.

Lee said Congress should provide the support infrastructure to help make government programs successful.

“We call on the House leadership to deliberate soon on our proposed House Bill No. 3958, or the Post-Harvest Facilities Support Act, and compel the government to construct and provide postharvest facilities across the country,” Lee said.

According to the lawmaker, not enough agricultural products reach the market due to extremely high postharvest losses attributed to the lack of services.

He welcomed Laurel’s pronouncement of the DA’s focus on the construction of postharvest facilities, noting that the agency sets aside more budget for its preharvest programs.

“The government’s support should not end with planting, it should continue after harvest and farm products reach the market and consumers,” Lee said in Filipino.

Mandated budget

Lee pointed out in HB 3958, “The problem on postharvest loss is an undeniable threat to food security, loss in farmer incomes and inefficiency in the global food system.”

His measure would mandate the government to construct postharvest facilities such as warehouses, rice mills, and transport facilities, including crucial equipment like flatbed dryers and threshers.

The draft measure would task the Department of Public Works and Highways to work with the DA, the Department of Agrarian Reform, and farmer cooperatives to build postharvest facilities in every rice-producing localities.

HB 3958 would tap the Department of Trade and Industry to provide the equipment and machinery required to operate the postharvest facilities.