Through the support of DA-PRDP, the Nabunturan Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative is stirring up milk production to meet the growing demand for milk in the Davao Region.

More than a year after the turnover of the “Cow’s Milk Processing and Marketing Enterprise” subproject to the Nabunturan Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative or NAFAMCO, the coop has expanded their operations from the exlusive marketing of fresh milk under their brand name “La Milk” into milk bar production. They are now working on perfecting their own signature ice cream which they also hope to add to their products soon.

NAFAMCO has come a long way from their former practice of “kuraw-kuraw” or the manual stirring of milk during the pasteurization process which is both laborious and time-consuming. Through DA-PRDP’s provision and installation of more modern milk processing machineries, operations are now more efficient.

This has allowed the coop to secure a supply contract with the National Dairy Authority (NDA) where they provide milk for the Department of Education’s milk feeding program in the entire province of Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental. The higher demand for cow’s milk has led them to partner with another DA-PRDP supported group. the UNIFIED Engineering Workers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (UEWMPC) in Region 12.

UEWMPC, the recipient of the “Dairy Production, Processing, and Marketing Enterprise” subproject in South Cotabato, has also significantly increased their milk production capacity and can now supply raw materials to other cooperatives similarly engaged in the dairy business such as NAFAMCO.

According to Warren Pagdato, a food technologist from the NDA, the DA-PRDP project has made a substantial contribution to increasing and enhancing the quality of milk for both NAFAMCO and UEWMPC.The latest data from shows that NAFAMCO has increased their daily processing capacity to four times their original output of 300 liters a day.

General Manager Eden Vallidor of NAFAMCO highlighted the significant impact of DA-PRDP to their cooperative.

“The Project has had a tremendous impact on our cooperative,” said Vallidor. “Thanks to the equipment provided by DA-PRDP, we now process a minimum of 1,200 liters per day, and sometimes we can reach up to 4,480 liters, which is equivalent to approximately 16 batches of 280 liters per tank.”

NAFAMCO is paying it forward by collaborating with other local dairy milk farmers to help increase their incomes, in the hopes of stirring up success for dairy producers in the Davao Region.