MANILA – The construction of a PHP527-million modern warehouse in Central Luzon commenced on Tuesday as the National Food Authority (NFA) kicked off the groundbreaking ceremony in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.
The construction of the modern facility is in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to boost farmers’ productivity and advance food security targets in the country.
“Ito ang umpisa ng ating inaasam na (This is the beginning of our aspiration for) NFA’s transformation, and any transformation involves people, equipment, and facilities,” NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said in a statement.
The NFA said this is the agency’s first step under the Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization (MAFIM) program.
The MAFIM program includes the establishment of 196 dryers, 48 silos, 221 warehouses, 57 rice mills, 24 corn mills, and 638 handling equipment units across the country.
It aims to save farmers at least PHP10 billion a year on rice and corn wastage once the construction of modern post-harvest facilities is completed, and reduce dependence on imports.
The construction of the NFA’s modernized warehouse, meanwhile, intends to support the country’s national buffer stocking program alongside support to local farmers through post-harvest mechanisms during dry and wet seasons.
Once completed, the modernized warehouse in Cabanatuan can store around 360,000 bags or 18,000 metric tons of palay.
According to the NFA, modernized warehouses will help them improve the current process of storing palay and milled rice, enhance supply management, and reduce wastage.
In September, Lacson said the administration’s implementation of PHP93 billion worth of MAFIM is on track, with more post-harvest infrastructures set to be built in the next three years. (PNA)