P13-M banana project set for700 Kalinga farmers

By Liza Agoot

BAGUIO CITY – More than 700 small banana farmers in Kalinga province are expected to further boost their income with the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) that assures buyers of their produce at a better price.
    Ivy Taquio Estacio, of the DA-PRDP Cordillera coordination office Information Advocacy, Communication, and Education (InfoACE) Unit, on Monday said a total of 735 members of the Daram-Cudal Multipurpose Cooperative (DCMPC) in Kalinga will benefit from the project.
    She said the DCMPC will buy the farmer-members produce and transport these to the market or process the fresh produce as ketchup or chips.
    Taquio said the PHP13.2-million DA-PRDP enterprise project which was turned over to DCMPC last August 16, was among the government's initiatives to support small farmers and increase their income.
    She said the project has several components which include the PHP4.7-million banana consolidation and trading center; the PHP555,000 trading capital to buy the farmers' produce; and a truck to transport the produce.
    The cooperative also received other goods and materials such as crates, wash bins, plastic palettes, and fabricated dryers.
    "They will be encouraged to expand their banana production area because there is a sure buyer ensuring income for them.     They will also be assured of patronage refund as cooperative members." Estacio said in Ilocano.
    She said the cooperative started processing banana chips in 2019, selling these in schools and transport terminals. The cooperative is also eyeing Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan as markets of raw cardaba bananas.
    Kalinga Governor Ferdinand Tubban said the turnover of the enterprise marks another milestone of partnership between the DA-PRDP, and the Kalinga local government in pursuit of agricultural development.
    “The PLGU (Province of Kalinga local government unit) implemented and completed four farm-to-market road subprojects and three enterprise subprojects under the DA-PRDP in support to the coffee, heirloom rice, and banana industries, and the impact of these projects are now being felt by the communities (who) benefited by the projects,” Tubban said.
    Estacio relayed DA-PRDP National Project Director Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan's statement during the turnover that Kalinga has received four farm-to-market roads spread in different years worth P885 million.
    Several infrastructure projects worth PHP172 million are still in the pipeline. Cayanan said the significance of attaining food security is making food available, accessible to the market, and at stable prices.
    Through the enterprise subproject, he said the banana farmer-members of the cooperative will be able to avail of technical services, post-harvest facilities, tools, and equipment to address the high cost of hauling and handling bananas and other related problems.
    Also, the price for banana produce will be regulated which will eventually lead to an increase in profitability for farmers. -- PNA