The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
In keeping with President Marcos and Agriculture Secrretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.’s desire to build more warehouses and cold storage facilities to prolong the shelf life and maintain the quality of palay, rice and other agricultural produce, the Philippine Rice Research Institute with funding from the Korea Rural Community Corp. broke ground for a 540-square meter warehouse cum cold storage at Barangay Malasin, San Mateo, Isabela.
Isabela is one of eight field offices of PhilRice, where it propagates and produces certified palay seeds which it distributes to accredited seed growers.
The construction of the facility is funded by a grant from the South Korean government as part of the Official Development Assistance that includes installation of needed equipment and digitalized apparatus, the Philippine Information Agency reported.
Dr. Byung Ki Lee of the South Korean government, through architectural and structural expert Myong Joon Kim, expressed his shared vision for the project emphasizing the for importance of collaboration and innovation to support Filipino farmers.
He stressed that a better facility would improve the capacity of the province to store its rice produce properly.
PhilRice Executive Director Dr. John De Leon said the South Korean government gave a total of $4.5 million in investments for the project to enhance the country’s capacity for rice seed distribution.
“This project also aims to improve the rice supply chain and buffer stocks not only in this province, which is a rice producer but in the whole country as well,” De Leon said.
He also said the partnership is focused on strengthening linkages among implementers and partners within the rice supply chain to ensure food security and economic stability.
He said that PhilRice is committed to modernizing rice inventory, storage, and distribution.
“It will also enhance the capacity of PhilRice and the National Food Authority’s inventory program through digitalization,” he added. PIA Isabela