In a significant effort to stabilize the Philippine sugar industry and restore soil productivity, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) officially turned over ₱27 million worth of farm mechanization machineries and equipment to several sugarcane groups, recently.
SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said that “mechanization is no longer a luxury but a necessity for survival in the current sugarcane economy.”
The grant turnover, held at the La Granja Agricultural Research and Extension Center (LGAREC) compound, is a core component of the SRA’s Soil Rejuvenation Program which seeks to address declining soil health and rising production costs by providing farmers with the logistical power to implement sustainable farming practices through maximization and utilization of sugar mill wastes, a press release from the SRA said Thursday, April 16.
The grant includes heavy-duty vehicles and tractors designed to improve hauling efficiency and field preparation, and to support large-scale transport of soil amendments and farm inputs.
The distribution included five units of dump trucks, granted to five organizations – Iloilo Mill District Development Council, Inc.; Capiz Mill District Development Council Foundation, Inc.; New Namangka Farmers Association in Mabinay, Negros Oriental; Norphil Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Piat, Cagayan; and Sugarcane Growers Association of Bukidnon Inc.
On the other hand, Cabungbungan Lingahob Farmers Association received a hauling truck, and the Northern Negros Sugar Development Council Inc. got a comprehensive package consisting of a hauling truck and a farm tractor equipped with complete implements.
“Our goal is to bring the Philippine sugar industry into a new era of efficiency. By providing these machineries, we are directly reducing the physical and financial burden on our farmers. This equipment will allow our partners to implement soil rejuvenation techniques at scale, ensuring that our sugarcane fields remain productive for the next generation of sugar farmers,” Azcona said.
Dr. Ma. Lourdes C. Almodiente, Deputy Administrator II for Research Development and Extension, highlighted the scientific importance of the grant, emphasizing that mechanization is the backbone of the agency’s extension efforts.
“These tractors and trucks are not just vehicles, they are tools for soil rejuvenation. It will enable the proper application of organic amendments and the timely execution of farm activities, which are critical to reversing soil degradation and thereby improving sugarcane productivity.” Almodiente said.
The event was also attended by SRA key leaders including Mill District Officers and technical personnel from across the country, representing the districts that received the grants.
David Andrew Sanson, Board Member-Planters’ Representative, also said that the grants will have a direct impact at the grassroots level and will empower the sugarcane planting community.
“This is a win for our planters. Access to this level of machinery empowers our farmers to be more independent and cost-effective. We are committed to ensuring that the voices of the planters are heard and that the resources of the SRA are utilized to make farming a more viable and profitable livelihood for everyone involved,” Sanson said.
Following the morning ceremony, an afternoon session focused on the long-term maintenance and legal safeguarding of the new assets with Elna Baladhay, Supply Officer of LGAREC.
The SRA’s Soil Rejuvenation Program remains a cornerstone of the agency’s roadmap toward self-sufficiency, the press release said.
Azcona said more grants are forthcoming, noting that integrating modern machinery with traditional soil science, SRA aims to reduce the industry’s heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers, focusing instead on restoring the natural fertility of the soil utilizing sugar mill wastes, to ensure a resilient and sustainable sugarcane sector. *
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