Ivana to put up grain center
(by Juliet P. Cataluna, Bandillo Batanes)

		In line with the government's food security program, the municipality of Ivana is set to build a farm-level grain center at coral area at the communal pasture land, south of the town proper. The project, initiated by Congressman Florencio B. Abad with the support of the provincial government of
Ivana, Batanes

Batanes and the municipal government of Ivana, is estimated to cost six million pesos. Funding for the project will be provided by the National Agriculture and Fishery Council (NAFC).

The grain center will include post-harvest facilities like solar dryer and thresher for rice and corn, as well as a feed mill, a weighing scale and delivery truck. According to Ivana Mayor, Anastacio Barsana, the center will also serve as a storage facility for rice, corn and even garlic, and has the capacity to accommodate 3500 to 4000 cavans of rice and corn.

To generate income, Barsana added, the center will also offer milling services to all grain producer in Batanes. It will also procure unmilled rice and corn from Luzon and have this milled in Batanes to ensure a lower local retail price.

The center will be managed by the Batanes Multi-Purpose Cooperation, Inc. since it has already acquired a ship that ply the Basco-Aparri route regularly.