The Department of Agriculture MIMAROPA has turned over an onion cold storage facility in Oriental Mindoro, valued at P40.7 million (US$0.71 million), aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and supporting farm income in an onion-producing area.
The facility is located in Barangay Campaasan, Bulalacao, and has been handed to the Bulalacao Development Cooperative (BUDECO), which will operate and manage the infrastructure for local growers.
Funded under the High Value Crops Development Program, the storage unit has a capacity of up to 20,000 bags, equivalent to around 540 metric tons of onions.
According to the Department of Agriculture, the facility is intended to reduce spoilage during peak harvest periods and allow growers to store produce until market prices improve.
The turnover was led by Daniel Alfonso Atayde, Assistant Secretary for Logistics, with Regional Technical Director for Operations Emerson Yago also present.
The facility was received by BUDECO manager Danny Festin and chairperson Dioner Escarez.
The project forms part of efforts to strengthen agricultural logistics in the region, focusing on crops that are sensitive to timing and price movements.
The Department of Agriculture stated that improving post-harvest systems is aimed at stabilising farm income and supporting food supply in vegetable-producing areas.
With the storage facility in operation, farmers in Bulalacao are expected to have more flexibility in timing sales and reducing the need to sell immediately after harvest.
Source: Daily Tribune
