Emerging as the most compliant and qualified cooperative during the Proponent Group (PG) selection, Ramon Cordon Farmers Cooperative (RAMFARMCO) now operates Tilapia Production and Marketing Enterprise and the members and officers are now busy for the harvest of its 1st Production Cycle.

It was registered under the Cooperative Development Authority on August 6, 2012. It has since ventured into various agriculture and fishery projects such as Agricultural and Fishery Production Loan, Veterinary Supply, Palay and Cassava Trading and Provision of Mechanized Land Preparation services.

With the enterprise, the cooperative is the recipient of 23 million pesos grant under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) which was used in the construction of a warehouse, procurement of two utility trucks, water pump, two center cars, palettes, duck hoses, a tractor, and fingerlings.

Tilapia is the second most popular farmed fish species after the carps. The increase in production was primarily in response to the growing popularity of tilapia as a competitive whitefish species. In Ramon, the pond owners harvest at dawn and the cooperative buys their harvest and sells their produce live to the targeted markets.
“The utility trucks are very important to the cooperative. We use them for hauling rice and corn, and for delivery of feeds and live tilapia in the different outlets,” Ms. Jacinta Apoy, RAMFARMCO Manager said.

“When the enterprise was turned over to us, membership to the cooperative has increased. We have 757 members originally. We now have an additional 119 members. 198 members are now directly involved in tilapia grown-out production.”
She said members of the cooperative have a significant increase because the cooperative offers tilapia feeds at a lower price. The utility trucks also deliver these to the pond owners. As agreed, the trucks also transport the live tilapia harvest from the ponds to the buyers.

“The tractor is also for pond and land preparation. Tilapia growers use the tractor to clean and deepen the ponds. For others, they rent it for rice and corn field preparation. We have quite a number of new members because of these services,” she quipped.

From October October 29-30, 2019 alone, the tractor has plowed 17 hectares. With 2,500 pesos rent for every hectare, the cooperative has a gross income of 42,500. With 8,500 pesos for the operator and helper, plus 9,000 gasoline and 6,000 pesos for the oil, this translates to 19,000 pesos net for the cooperative.

She disclosed that from the PRDP fund, the cooperative also purchased 1.4 million tilapia fingerlings. These were distributed to the members. The 1st Production Cycle will have its complete harvest this November.

“By next year, we can have a clear and concrete appraisal on the income of each pond owner who has availed of the fingerlings. As a consequence, the gains of the enterprise in its semi-annual operation could also be assessed,” she said.

Joseph Ballatong, a coop member from Rizaluna, Cordon said the enterprise offers much to them. From fingerlings to feeds, from machinery to good aquaculture practices, grown-out tilapia production is much easier now.

“The coop invites experts from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to lecture on fish culture. We are always updated as to the techniques of fish production. The bureau’s personnel also test the quality of water we have in the ponds to prevent fishkill,” Ballatong said.

Other members have more positive thoughts.

“I use to borrow from traders in San Miguel, Ramon, to finance my fishpond but when I became a member of the cooperative, I found out that loans have low interest and patronage refund is high. The price of feeds for tilapia grow out is much lower than any supplier. The cooperative also uses the truck given by PRDP to deliver them to our ponds,” Magdalena Manuel, a cooperative member disclosed.

“We can also borrow the water pump owned by the cooperative to supply water to the ponds. The warehouse now stores the feeds and other materials used in tilapia production,” she said.

Observing how things turn out, from the coop office in Planas to the ponds in Purok Ni Bulan and neighboring barangays, one thing that will surely put the enterprise into the limelight is the unity and dedication of the members and the management Ms. Jacinta Apoy and the officers have exemplified.

A positive mindset will always prevail. (Dr. Ferdinand N. Cortez, RPCO2 InfoACE)