DA-PRDP okays new highland vegetable enterprise in Benguet

By Elvy T. Estacio

MANKAYAN, Benguet -- The Bosigan Multipurpose Cooperative here can now proceed with the procurement process for their proposed subproject on highland vegetable consolidation and marketing enterprise, after receiving the green light from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP).
    Through the DA-PRDP Regional Project Coordination Office – CAR (RPCO-CAR), the first No Objection Letter (NOL 1) was formally issued on November 17, 2022 allowing the Proponent Group (PG) of the enterprise subproject, to proceed with the bidding process.
    Their enterprise subproject will boost the existing operations of the PG in the consolidation and marketing of highland vegetables produced by its members.
    Bosigan MPC Manager Wegina Lodias said that they are persistent in realizing their enterprise to cater more of their members’ produce and increase their income to an average of at least 18.28% annually.
    “We started our consolidation initiatives in 2015, but due to limited resources, we were only able to consolidate and sell more or less than 279 kilograms of assorted highland vegetables annually in the previous years, which is only about 20 to 25% of the cooperative members’ total production,” said Lodias.
    The enterprise is also seen to address the constraints on high postharvest losses due to improper transportation, packaging and technology materials, and high transportation cost.
    The upgrading of Bosigan MPC’s enterprise involves the establishment of a consolidation center with amenities; working capital; and a hauling and delivery vehicle as part of the consolidation services of the cooperative to ease out transport of the produce from farm gate to the consolidation center.
    It has a total project cost of PhP18.03 million including the 20% counterpart from the PG, in cash and in kind.
Lodias added that with the enterprise support from the DA-PRDP, they will be able to pay the farmers upon the delivery of their vegetable produce.
    For the procurement process, the PG will employ Community Participation – Community Force Account (CFA) wherein they will handle the purchasing of raw materials, equipment, and other goods as specified in their business plans except for the infrastructure component.
    “The BAC of the DA-CAR will be handling the bidding process for the construction of the BMPC’s vegetable consolidation center,” said RPCO-CAR procurement officer engineer Roiston Z. Carame.
    The BMPC will be undergoing a procurement orientation this November to capacitate them with the procurement process.