VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — Local rice farming received a big modernization boost as the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) officially commissioned a P68-million rice milling facility.

Built for the provincial government under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization program, which is implemented by the DA’s Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, the facility, located in Barangay Sinabuagan, started operations last November 5.

The facility is a multi-stage mill capable of processing two to three tons of palay per hour and four recirculating dryers that handle six tons per batch.

Expressing relief and optimism on behalf of local growers, Jose Panes, chairperson of the Bukidnon United Rice Farmers and Agricultural Machineries Cooperative, emphasized that the long-awaited facility addresses historic processing bottlenecks during peak harvest seasons.

“We had long struggled to have our palay processed during harvest time,” Panes said, noting that the facility will help manage processing costs per kilogram while pointing out that test-run yields produced whiter grains with a higher percentage of whole kernels than previous methods.

The facility is expected to benefit approximately 23,975 rice farmers tilling roughly 40,505 hectares across the province.

It is projected to cut postharvest losses by three to five percent.

The system is designed to slash production costs by P2 to P3 per kilogram, directly boosting farmer incomes.

Bukidnon Gov. Rogelio Neil Roque lauded the project as the province’s most advanced milling facility, noting that initial dry runs yielded top-tier recovery rates with zero waste.

Jose Apollo Pacamalan, DA-10 regional executive director, said the agency aims to complement the facility with upcoming farm-to-market roads and targeted farm mechanization efforts over the next two years.

Published Date: November 12, 2026