Local officials and farmers organizations are seeking for an extension of the implementation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) that is set to end in June 2024, according to the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
“During the social preparation and training phases for qualified farmers’ groups and the actual distribution of farm machines under the RCEF-mechanization program, we get pleas from both farmers and local officials to have the RCEF extended beyond June 2024,” said Dionisio Alvindia, PhilMech executive director, in a statement.
PhilMech said some farmers from Kalinga want an extension of six years.
PhilMech is implementing the RCEF-mechanization program with an allocation of P5 billion per year from 2019 to 2024, representing 50 percent of the P10-billion annual allocation for the fund.
The remaining is allocated for the distribution of high-yielding seeds at P3 billion; training and capacitating farmers for P1 billion; and credit support for the remaining P1 billion.
The Rice Tariffication Law created RCEF, allocating all tariffs collected from rice imports for programs to benefit local rice farmers and the industry.
PhilMech said according to Graciana Tombaga, chair of the Holy Trinity Cathedral multi-purpose cooperative in Kalinga, they would like to request RCEF’s extension through legislation, possibly through Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food.
