The National Food Authority (NFA) inaugurated its state-of-the-art post-harvest facility in Dumangas, Iloilo on Wednesday.

The PHP350 million Modernized Rice Processing Center is part of the Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization Program, a PHP93 billion flagship initiative of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which aims to modernize post-harvest facilities nationwide.

DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., who led the inauguration together with NFA Administrator Larry Lacson, said the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. wanted a modern, climate-resilient and competitive agriculture sector.

The project, the first to be completed among the 36 modernized post-harvest sites being rolled out nationwide, will ensure a reliable market for farmers and strengthen the government’s buffer stocking program.

Two other facilities are being constructed in the town of Dueñas and in Iloilo City’s Jaro District.

He assured that the department would continue to invest in mechanization, post-harvest facilities, irrigation, and other critical infrastructure to increase the income of farmers and ensure the country’s food security.

In a statement, Tiu Laurel said the grains hub will boost the income of local farmers through the agency’s flexible palay (unhusked rice) procurement scheme.

“Modern post-harvest facilities allow the NFA to procure more palay, cut post-harvest losses, improve grain quality, and build stronger buffer stocks,” he said.

“Every bag we save and every bag we procure strengthens the country’s ability to keep rice affordable and available, especially during supply disruptions.”

The modern facility features a warehouse equipped with a 10-ton-per-hour rice mill and a 240-ton-per-day mechanical grain dryer.

This allows the NFA to expand its capacity to buy, dry, mill, and store palay.

For his part, NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said the Dumangas facility represents a major upgrade in the agency’s procurement operations in Western Visayas.

“This isn’t just a new warehouse—it is a productivity and food security investment,” he said.

“Modern equipment allows us to buy more palay, reduce waste, and move grain into our buffer stocks faster. Farmers gain a dependable buyer, while consumers benefit from a stronger and more reliable rice supply,” Lacson added.

Iloilo OIC provincial agriculturist Geron Magbanua, who joined the inauguration together with Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., said the new facility is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, improve grain quality, and enhance the competitiveness and income of rice farmers across the province.

“As the rice granary of Western Visayas, Iloilo produced 837,967.53 metric tons of palay in 2025, accounting for 56.4 percent of the region’s total production,” he said.

He added that the facility has a drying capacity of 120 metric tons of fresh palay per day through four mechanical dryers operating one batch daily, equivalent to the harvest from 24 hectares of rice fields.

Its rice mill can process 8 metric tons (MT) to 10 MT per hour, or approximately 64 MT to 80 MT per day during an eight-hour operation, producing about 819 bags to 1,024 bags of 50-kg. milled rice daily.

Once operational, it can benefit more than 1,000 additional farmers on top of the 804 rice farmers and 41 farmers’ organizations, with about 2,000 members, being served by the Dumangas Grains Center.

This will support rice-producing areas in Anilao, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Dueñas, Dumangas, Passi City and San Enrique.

On an annual basis, these areas produce about 4.85 million bags of palay. (PNA)