More than 440 farmers in South Cotabato avail of the Free Tractor Services program which covers a total of 630 hectares of land, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) reports.
The “Free Tractor Service” program is one of the flagship programs of Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. which aims to lower farm costs and increase the income of farmers.
Provincial Agriculturist Raul Teves said for the period 2021 and 2022, at least nine municipalities availed of the services.
These include the following: 63 farmers from Sto. Nino which covers 87 hectares; 5 from Lake Sebu cover 7 hectares; 18 farmers from Norala, cover 31 hectares; 42 farmers from Tampakan cover 64 hectares; 147 farmers from the City of Koronadal cover 145 hectares; One (1) from Surallah covers 4 hectares; 36 farmers from Tupi covering 49 hectares; 38 farmers from Polomolok covering 55 hectares; and 131 farmers from Banga covering 185 hectares.
The provincial government plans to add more tractors to its existing three-unit tractors to serve more farmers in the province.
“Our existing tractors are not enough to cover farmers in need of the tractor services, especially the poor ones’” Teves said,
For those who want to avail, priority is given to farmers who own or maintain not more than two hectares of land. They can visit the OPAG Office and fill out the requisition slip a week before their scheduled date. Aside from the free tractor services, farmers can also avail of planting materials and organic input.
