GINGER, TURMERIC FARMERS LAUD PRDP FOR PRODUCTION SUPPORT
San Clemente, TARLAC – The Dueg Upland Farmers Marketing Cooperative has lauded recently the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) for its continuous support and assistance in the production of ginger and turmeric, here.
According to Christian Marcelo Antonio, manager, it was under the PRDP Turmeric and Ginger Production and Marketing that farmers had grasped an increase in productivity and that the cooperative has earned more.
Initially, farmers used to loan money to afford farm inputs such as seedlings during its first four years.
“The PRDP provided us with seedlings which we planted to grow and harvest. We felt how this assistance has alleviated our situation here,” he stressed.
Antonio also disclosed that the PRDP has supported their proposal way back 2015 to help augment the production of their main commodities which are mostly root crops particularly ginger, turmeric and taro.
” We couldn’t fathom that there is such a government agency such as PRDP. That they were able to reach even isolated areas like ours and even provided us with assistance,” he added.
It can be recalled that the Municipality of San Clemente is among the areas in Tarlac that has been severely affected by the onslaught of typhoon Lando in the last quarter of 2015.
Through the production support funded by PRDP under the enterprise development component (I-REAP), the farmers were able to recover from their losses and has since revived their livelihood.
The cooperative has then intensified the marketing of ginger root which is known for its powerful medicinal benefits while turmeric, a yellow-colored root also from the ginger family is said can cure several conditions such menstrual problems, toothaches, bruises, chest pain and has anti-cancer properties. (Ma. Reina Len Luna, RPCO3 InfoACE)
