“Para hindi na mahawakan ng traders ang mga magsasaka dito…we will put up a rice processing system as soon as possible” - Sec. Laurel on establishment of food hub in Kalinga

Tabuk City — During his visit to Kalinga on May 22, Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) plan to establish a rice processing hub in the province that will help local farmers properly dry, mill, store, and market their harvests.

According to Laurel, the DA plans to build a Rice Processing System 3, the agency’s largest rice processing facility, inside the 50-hectare property in the municipality of Rizal that the provincial government has designated for the establishment of a rice and corn complex.

“Today, I commit to our governor, our congresswoman, the vice governor, and to everybody that we will put up a rice processing system as soon as possible,” Laurel said while inspecting the warehouse of the National Food Authority in Tabuk.

The facility is expected to begin construction this year and be completed by 2027 to provide immediate support to farmers in the province.

Laurel said many farmers are often forced to sell their palay at low prices because they are pressured to dispose of their harvest immediately after drying.

Through the rice processing system, farmers will be able to store their produce longer instead of selling it right away to traders at low prices during harvest season.

“Para hindi na mahawakan ng traders ang mga magsasaka dito. Para kaya nilang itago ang kanilang palay nang mas matagal, at hindi nila kailangang ibenta kaagad,” he said.

Aside from the rice processing facility, the DA secretary also committed to establishing a food hub with cold storage facilities within the same property in Rizal. The project is expected to start next year, with completion targeted by 2028.

Once operational, the food hub will allow farmers to properly store vegetables and other perishable products, reduce spoilage during transport, and improve access to larger and more competitive markets both inside and outside the province.

In response, provincial officials led by James Edduba, Dave Oidem, and Caroline Agyao expressed gratitude to the agency and assured their full support for the projects’ implementation.

Kalinga remains the top rice-producing province in the Cordillera region and continues to play a vital role in ensuring food supply in Northern Luzon.

The province is also home to the “Rice Granary of the Cordillera,” the city of Tabuk.