By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. yesterday reiterated his call for mechanization of the agricultural industry in Negros Occidental at the Negros First Organic Technology Center in Barangay Tabunan, Bago City.

Last month, the governor called for mechanization of the sugar industry, saying recent large scale developments have pushed sugar workers to take advantage of new opportunities in construction and information technology.

“The only answer is partial mechanization,” he said at the time.

Marañon rehashed the same reasoning, adding farmers would spend less of their income if they switched to the technology.

The governor said, based on data by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, farmers would save around 20 percent of their income compared to traditional methods of farming.

He added, the provincial government is ready to assist farming associations and cooperatives should they decide to mechanize./DGB, WDJ