The Department of Agriculture has urged farmers to avail of microfinancing from the government and to make use of its post-harvest facilities to improve their income.

Secretary Arthur Yap said in a press statement that microfinance is the answer to the farmers clamor for access to credit and availing it from the government is the better option.

Yap, who recently attended the groundbreaking and awarding rites of the high-value commercial crops post-harvest facilities in Cebu City, said farming should be considered a business, adding that farmers should change their farming system by using hybrid seeds and apply modern technologies to attain quality produce.

He said that farmers should make an effort to lessen its post- harvest losses and make sure that there is available market for their products.

The availability of post-harvest facilities will help farmers attain such goal, Yap said in the press release.

He added that irrigation systems like small water impounding projects and farm-to-market roads should also be given priority.

Yap said that seven hot water treatment facilities for mangoes will be established soon in Regions 1, 3, 4a, 6, 7, 11 and 12.

With the establishment of these facilities, Philippine mangoes could penetrate the world market other than Korea, Japan, and China, the press release added.*

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