Coffee farmers get govt. assistance

BUKIDNON - The Department of Agriculture (DA) recently turned over some P6.73 million worth of assistance to coffee farmers who are members of the Bayanihan Millennium Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMMPC) in Pangantucan town.

DA Regional Executive Director Carlene Collado led the handover of the 12-component assistance to the BMMPC. Pangantucan Mayor Miguel Silva Jr. and BMMPC chairman Porferio Sayson received the assistance.

The Department of Agriculture turns over a P6.73 million package of interventions for Bayanihan Millennium Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Pangantucan town in Bukidnon province.

The coffee farming intervention includes a hauling truck worth P2 million; 31,250 coffee seedlings valued at P1.5625 million; a processing facility worth P1 million; a coffee roasting machine worth P625,000; a plant nursery worth P500,000; and two depulper units valued at P240,000.

The package also includes six production and sorting tables worth P226,000; a grinding machine worth P190,000, a dehuller worth P147,000; five moisture meters worth P139,000; a vacuum pack sealer worth P70,000; and three grass-cutters worth P30,000.

“The project is just among the interventions that DA Regional Office 10 has provided for your cooperative. We hope it will greatly help to provide labor to your community, increase coffee farmers' income, and expand the reach of your coffee products outside of Bukidnon," Collado said.

The package of interventions, carried out by the High-Value Crops Development Program, aims to increase coffee production. It was allocated through the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act for its coffee community-based farm enterprise development—farm rehabilitation and improvement component.

The project is also being carried out in Talakag town in Bukidnon, with coconut growing intercropped with cacao and coffee.

Collado also encouraged BMMPC to submit project proposals whenever they were needed because the cooperative was making progress and was sending coffee to Luzon and even in other countries. He reminded the members of the cooperative that DA will help as long as their goals fit within DA's budget and overall goal for the Philippine coffee industry.

BMMPC is known for producing high-quality coffee beans. Seven of its members won the Northern Mindanao Coffee Quality Competition on March 18. 

Backyard coffee seller the Mindanao Civet Coffee is also sourcing its wild Civet coffee cherries in Bukidnon and swears by the quality of the beans the cats consume. Aside from Bukidnon, the Mindanao Civet Coffee is sourcing its stocks of organic Civet coffee beans from farmers in Davao and other parts of Mindanao to help them earn a decent living. (Mindanao Examiner)