Another group of farmer beneficiaries received one unit of hauling truck from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) in Midsayap, North Cotabato. 

The P2.035 million hauling truck is part of the package under IREAP’s Production, Processing and Marketing of Organic Palay subproject being implemented by the Bual Integrated Development for Institutionalized Sustainability  thru the Yield of Nature (BINDISYON), a farmer group patronizing organic palay production in Midsayap, Cotabato.

The said transport facility will aid the farmer group in quickly and efficiently delivering their produce to their target buyers.

Aside from the truck, the proponent group previously received other machineries such as turtle machine worth P727, 249.90 on, tiller worth P95, 839.9, thresher  with machine worth P242, 014.5, weighing scale worth P94,640, sack sealer worth P39,715, limestone worth P140,000, and working capital of P1 million pesos.

These farm inputs are intended to support the farmers in the production level by providing them farm machineries they needed to expand their production and eventually increase their income. The project will also provide training and monitoring of the Internal Control System, from production to processing to ensure that protocols for organic certification are being followed and be certified.

As part of the project, BINDISYON will also act as consolidator by buying farmers produce to capture volume and process into polished milled rice to be ready for market using the existing milling facility of the organization.

The hauling truck (8 tonner capacity) will haul farmers harvest from the production area to BINDISYON warehouse and transporting dried palay from the coop’s warehouse to its buyer, Don Bosco MPC in M’lang.

Farmers will receive directly their benefit through additional P1.00 up to P3.00 price incentive on top of the prevailing market price, depending on the status of their farm certification. Price per kilo will eventually increase on the succeeding years. 

BINDISYON will buy a certified organic palay to supply Don Bosco’s increasing demand.  It will also sell polished milled rice in the Organic Trading Post (OTP) in Midsayap to cater the demand of local consumers.

As part of the target of the project, BINDISYON will expand its organic farm area from 25 hectares to 70 hectares at the end of ten years at 5 hectares increase per year to be devoted to organic rice production in the Municipality of Midsayap. It will also encourage other organic rice practitioners to become a member of the association for them to be included in the certification from Don Bosco and avail of a much higher price for their palay and other  privileges that the enterprise will offer. (Joy M. Montecalvo)