NoCot farmers can now produce high quality muscovado sugar
FARMERS in North Cotabato can now produce more quality muscovado sugar with the use of the enhanced processing center.
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently turned over the P350,000 worth of enhanced processing center to the Kibudtungan Sugar Farmers Association (KSFA) in Kibudtungan, Carmen, North Cotabato.
The agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) members of the KSFA will be able to produce more quality muscovado sugar to increase the value of their sugarcane products.
The enhanced processing facility, implemented under the Village Level Farm-focused Enterprise Development (VLFED) Project, rehabilitated the existing village-level processing infrastructure of the association to improve its working environment and to make it compliant with the standard set by the Food and Drugs Administration for them to acquire a license to operate and penetrate a bigger market.
Willy Ampalid, KSFA President, thanked the DAR for continuously supporting them to make their enterprise more functional and competitive.
“With the trust you gave us for this project, rest assured that we will do our best to make the business more sustainable and profitable,” he said.
Ampalid also added that they would register their organization as a cooperative to make their operation dynamic and beneficial to the members.
In previous years, the KSFA also received support from DAR such as the sugarcane juicer, other processing equipment, tractor and other livelihood support.
Evangeline Bueno, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) II, said that the VLFED project is among the support services provided by the agency to ensure the operationalization and profitability of their chosen enterprise.
Meanwhile, Emelita Mayol, OIC-PARPO I and concurrent Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer, emphasized that it would be best for the association to transition into a cooperative so that they could avail themselves of more benefits from their enterprise and will have the opportunity to receive dividends and patronage refunds.
