The first-ever unit of the solar-aided curing barn (SACB) from the National Tobacco Administration was awarded to farmer-leader Norberto Salmasan of Camanga, Badoc, Ilocos Norte in a turnover ceremony on Tuesday.
Salmasan is the first recipient of the SACB designed by the NTA Farm Technology and Services Department (FTSD) under its farm modernization program. The unit will be shared to at least four Virginia tobacco growers under the newly organized block farm in Barangay Camanga.
SACB uses solar energy to power the heat pump dryer which supplements the heat requirement and in the long run will reduce fuelwood consumption. In terms of structure, the traditional curing barn was maintained in the design to make it more adaptable for the current operations and management during curing.
“This demonstrates the latest technology in tobacco production that will help our farmers raise their income from quality tobacco production,” said NTA Administrator/CEO Robert Victor G. Seares, Jr. in a video message for the turnover ceremony. He added that curing dictates 40% of the quality of tobacco.
“We aim to raise the quality of our production, and at the same time reduce fuelwood consumption using renewable energy for curing,” he said.
Based on the feasibility study conducted by FTSD, fuelwood consumption with the new curing barn design is expected to be reduced by 40%.
“This is a big help to Virginia tobacco industry, as it solves problems on fuelwood supply and stricter regulations in cutting of trees,” Deputy Administrator for Operations Engr. Cesario G. Sambrana said in a separate video.
“We have to thank the first farmer-recipient for embracing the latest technology and we urge other farmers to do the same for the project’s continuous implementation and for sustainability of the industry,” he said.
FTSD Manager Imelda N. Riňen led the turnover ceremony, with NTA Ilocos Norte OIC Luzviminda U. Padayao, Members of the Sanggunian Bayan of Badoc, Engr. Eugenio Manarpaac, Jr. of EMB Solar, Municipal Administrator Janice Gorospe, Municipal Agriculturist Leonor Escarda, ABC President Virgilio Calajate, Atty. Pancho Jose (representing Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Manotoc Marcos) in attendance.
Thirty-four tobacco growers from Camanga and neighboring barangays also witnessed the ceremony.Administrator Seares sent via his video message his gratitude to the provincial government of Ilocos Norte headed by Gov. Marcos, and the local government of Badoc and Mayor Maximo D. Cajigal for giving NTA the opportunity to demonstrate production technologies for the benefit of the tobacco growers.
The groundbreaking ceremony of the project was held on February 16 in Barangay Camanga, with successful test runs conducted on March 30.
SACB Project Leaders Engr. Warner Batugo and Engr. Kenneth Russell Tanaval facilitated the test run during the turnover ceremony on Tuesday.
[with report from Rhonelle P. Sulicipan / photos from FTSD]