5 farmer groups to benefit from transplanter machines

By Cet Dematera

Some five big farmer associations with an estimated 1,700 members in Legazpi City would soon be benefiting from faster planting of their palay seedlings this wet season through the use of transplanter machines handed to them last May 15 by the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

City Agriculture Office (CAO) chief Shiela Naz said that a transplanter machine could plant 5,000 square meters of rice fields in one day.

Recipients of transplanter machines are farmer groups in Barangays Buraguis, San Joaquin, Buyuan, Arimbay and Bagong Abre, all in Legazpi City.

Naz said the machines are part of the rice competitiveness enhancement fund (RCEP) of the DA-PhilMech program primarily aimed at raising the productivity and profitability of the rice farmers and to strengthen the competitiveness of palay industry in the country.

“With the use of palay transplanter, only minimal manpower would be needed that could result to reduced expenses of owner or farmer in every cropping season ,” Naz added.

The city agriculturist said that the five farmer associations had received the farm equipment in time for their planting of palay this wet season beginning this June.

“The CAO will demonstrate to the members of the associations on how to use the machine in order for them to know properly on how to use the equipment for planting hybrid and certified palay seedlings” Naz said.

She explained that palay threshers and hand tractors and other farm equipment will also be distributed to the other six farmers associations of Legazpi City.

“We are just waiting these farm equipment from the DA and then we will inform the group of farmers when the machines are already available for distribution”, Naz said.

At least 1,433 hectares of farm lands are expected to be planted by the 2,677 registered farmers this wet cropping season.