ILOILO CITY, Iloilo - The Department of Agriculture (DA 6) is allotting P61.7 million for farm mechanization in Western Visayas.

DA 6 regional director Larry Nacionales disclosed that said amount is particularly intended to purchase 200 hand tractors, 69 threshers, 17 rice trans-planters, 10 rice combine harvesters, nine four-wheel tractors, and six rice drum seeders.

To achieve full-implementation of the DA’s farm mechanization program in the region, Nacionales is urging local government units (LGUs) across Western Visayas to fast-track their own farm mechanization efforts in their respective areas.

Under the Agri-Pinoy rice program, 85 percent of the cost of on-farm machineries and rice mills will be shouldered by DA 6 and the remaining 15 percent will be handled by farmer-beneficiaries through their respective LGUs.

Nacionales is strongly urging farmer cooperatives and irrigators to draw up proposals with the support of their LGUs and submit these to DA 6 as to effect their becoming farmer-beneficiaries.

Said Agri-Pinoy rice program makes possible for farmer-beneficiaries to avail of rice combine harvesters for an equity of P300,000 per unit; four-wheel tractors for an equity of P135,000 per unit; rice trans-planters for an equity of P45,000 per unit; and hand tractors and threshers with a P19,500 equity per unit.

The DA is also giving an allocation grant for rice drum seeders. The provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental will get one unit each.