A FARMER in Salvador Benedicto town in Negros Occidental province loads his produce in a carriage of a tramline that was built in the town through a government program to ease the transport of agricultural produce from the remotest areas of the country to markets. RICHARD MALIHAN/CONTRIBUTOR
BACOLOD CITY—A project that cost just a little more than P3 million is creating a priceless impact on agriculture in the town of Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental province, making it easier now for farmers in the town to transport their produce.
A two-way tramline system, worth P3.4 million, is now in place in the town.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, who was at the inauguration of the tramline, said farmers in San Benedicto would now have an easier time bringing their produce to market.
Also present at the inauguration of the project were Mayor Jose Max Ortiz, of San Benedicto, and Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. of Negros Occidental.
Salvador Benedicto is a fifth class municipality with an annual income of P15 million-P25 million.
The town is known for its falls known as Malatan-og Waterfalls and pine trees that line both sides of its 1.7-km stretch highway.
The tramline system traverses a distance of 625 meters in the village of Igmayaan and 864 meters from Igmayaan to a village in San Carlos City.
MAYOR Jose Max Ortiz and Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. at the inauguration of the tramline
RICHARD MALIHAN/CONTRIBUTOR
The project, called DA-PhilMech Agricultural Tramline System, is expected to benefit at least 400 farmers in Salvador Benedicto. Each tramline carriage has a capacity of 350 kg.
The tramline has a speed of 100 to 150 meters per minute and has an 80 horsepower diesel engine, according to its project brief.
The tramline is an alternative transport system for farmers in areas isolated from road networks by ravines, rivers and dense vegetation.
It is a system of steel cables and pulleys that links the production area to the nearest access road for the transport of agricultural products such as upland rice, banana, ginger, corn, vegetables, squash, coconut, among others.
The project would minimize the difficulty in hauling agricultural produce and reduce hauling time from three hours to at least three minutes.
It would also reduce hauling cost by 50 percent, thus increasing farmers’ income.