THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Farm mechanisation a priority for Philippines

Farm mechanisation a priority for Philippines

To keep pace with rice-exporting countries like Thailand and Vietnam, the Philippines must raise the rate of mechanisation in its farms to .8 horsepower per hectare from the current .57hp/ha, the Philippines Department of Agriculture said.

 

Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala yesterday said the department has allotted 6 billion pesos (Bt4.5 billion) to increase the use of machinery and other farm equipment in Philippine farms.
“Our target in the medium term is to increase the current farm mechanisation level at 0.57 horsepower per hectare (hp/ha) to 0.8 hp/ha,” he said.
The amount is used to buy various farm production and post-harvest machinery and equipment that the department provides to qualified irrigators’ associations, farmers’ groups and local government units. The department shoulders up to 85 per cent of the equipment cost, while the remaining 15 per cent serves as the equity or local counterpart of the beneficiaries.
“We want to provide the environment that would encourage the private sector to invest in the country’s farm machinery industry. We plan to reach a farm mechanisation level of 0.8hp/ha, similar to that of Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia,” said under-secretary Joel Rudinas.
Thailand and Vietnam are both rice-exporting countries. The Philippines, which imports rice to feed its growing population, eyes to join their club by 2014.
Rudinas said other developed countries like Japan and South Korea are already highly mechanised, at 7hp/ha and 4hp/ha, respectively.
Agriculture officials said Filipino farmers are reluctant to use machineries for fear that it would displace labourers. 
Officials also noted that Filipino farmers do not have the capital to invest in harvest and post-harvest equipment.
Filipino farmers, the department said, are one of the least mechanised in Southeast Asia. Officials said a high level of mechanisation in agriculture leads to greater yield and better income for farmers.
Assistant secretary Dante Delima said, “We do not intend to displace any farm labour. Instead, we aim to increase farm labour productivity.
“More importantly, with the use of farm machinery, farmers could prepare their land at the same time and adopt a synchronised rice-planting schedule. This practice would enable farmers to monitor and effectively control crop pests, and subsequently minimise production losses,” he added.
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