Tupi, South Cotabato – Engines will soon start grinding for Tupi’s coffee enterprise after the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) turned over the first tranche of the project’s cost that will jumpstart the enterprise activities.
DA-PRDP turned over last week checks worth P2.6-Million to the Tupi Coffee Growers’ Association, Inc. (TUCOGAI), the lead proponent of the coffee enterprise subproject of PRDP in South Cotabato.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol led the distribution of checks with South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes at the DA 12’s Tupi Research and Experiment Station.
The handing over of checks from PRDP was part of the mass distribution of DA of farm machines and other agricultural projects to local government units and farmer groups in Region 12.
“We are thankful for the assistance we received from the government. We are confident that this will not be wasted since we have shown good production ever since,” TUCOGAI President Marcos Gabat said.
“Hopefully the government will continue to give grants to more economic enterprise projects especially to the coffee growers. Coffee is considered as basic commodity nowadays so the government must put more allocation to its production,” the farmer leader added.
The subproject entitled ‘Enhancement of Production and Marketing of Dried Green Coffee Beans’ is worth P17.9 million, wherein the first checks are intended for the procurement of equipment and facilities and other production support.
Engr. Milagros Casis, DA 12 regional executive director, revealed that these funds are intended to purchase two units electric operated coffee dehuller, six units weighing scale, two units moisture meter, two units motorized trailer, and two units washing tub.
After the turnover ceremony, farmer-recipients and the LGU South Cotabato will facilitate the construction of vermi-composting facility and the clonal garden.
This subproject is expected to uplift the lives of some 1,697 coffee growers in the province and could eventually expand the area devoted to coffee production in the province to 1,915 hectares.
For the implementation of the said project, TUCOGAI has partnered with coffee grower associations across the province, namely: Tampakan Coffee and Cacao Growers, Kinilis Farmers Cooperative, Sawmill Coconut Farmers Association, Lambangan People’s Organization and Ned Landcare Association. (Carl Ulysses Aguillon/DA-RPCO 12)

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