PH sugarcane farmers receive aid from Japan

Tokyo has beefed up aid for the agriculture sector here as its embassy in Manila on Nov. 18 turned over to the Philippine government P314 million worth of agricultural machinery for the benefit of sugarcane growers in Negros Occidental.

Tachikawa Jumpei, first secretary and agriculture attache, represented the Japanese embassy during the turnover ceremony for the donation held in Bacolod City.

The donation is also referred to as a nonproject grant aid, one of Japan’s official development assistance schemes.

The package includes 80 farm tractors and 48 mechanical planters intended for sugarcane farmers “all over the Philippines, including Negros Occidental.”

Receiving on behalf of Manila were Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel Jr., Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Pablo Luis Azcona and top officials of the provincial and city governments and representatives of farmer-beneficiaries.

In a statement, the embassy noted that Negros Occidental is the Philippines’ foremost sugar-producing province, contributing almost half of the country’s total sugar production. It said the increasing demand for sugar created a crucial need to ramp up productivity and efficiency while supporting sugarcane farmers in improving their income.

To address this, Japan is supporting the Philippine government’s farm mechanization program by providing the needed agricultural machinery and equipment for efficient planting, cultivation, care and harvesting of sugarcane. INQ

###—###

#Kicker

TRACTORS, PLANTERS TURNED OVER

#Byline2

@RonWDomingoINQ