CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Agriculture (DA) and municipal government of Bacolor in Pampanga turned over a newly-constructed cold storage facility for onions to farmers.
The beneficiaries, composed of 24 individuals, are members of the Bacolor Onion Farmers Association who are cultivating over 60 hectares of onion and other high-value crops.
The facility, which has a 20,000-bag capacity, is the first of its kind in Bacolor town.
It is expected to reduce post-harvest losses by ensuring proper storage of onions, prolonging shelf life, maintaining quality of products, and increasing farmers’ income.
DA Regional Executive Director Eduardo Lapuz Jr. highlighted the role of innovation and cooperation in strengthening and sustaining local agriculture.
“Our only request is that we work together to sustain and ensure the success of projects like this that are given to our farmers,” he said.
For his part, Mayor Eduardo Datu lauded the farmers for their hard work, and urged the public to support them.
“We always say that without farmers, we have nothing to eat. That is a reality we must all support,” he said.
Guests were given a tour of the new facility. The event was highlighted by the signing of a memorandum of agreement and deed of donation to formalize the turnover of ownership to the local farmers’ association.
The DA said with the government’s continued support to local farmers, the province of Pampanga moves closer to a modernized, efficient, and sustainable agriculture sector. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)