Members of the San Fermin ARB MPC receive a four-wheel tractor as part of their Production and Marketing of Mungbean Enterprise under the PRDP on March 15, 2019. Mungbean Farmers receive first tranche of PRDP enterprise
The members of the San Fermin Agrarian Reform Beneficiary (ARB) Multi-purpose Cooperative (MPC) received the first tranche of its Production and Marketing Mungbean Enterprise funded by the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) on March 15, 2019.
The mungbean enterprise which has a total investment cost of Php4,143,115.72 includes the provision of mungbean seeds, inoculant, sacks, sprayers, weighing scale, trolley, seed moisture , electric bag sewer, four-wheel tractor, and a 4.25 tonner truck.
The mungbean enterprise primarily aims to increase mungbean production; increase the income per hectare of farmers by 45.91%; expand the mungbean plantation in Caba from 28 hectares to 84 hectares; increase the number of beneficiaries from 73 farmers in Year 1 to 298 farmers in Year 10; and generate at least seven (7) jobs within the enterprise.
The San Fermin ARB MPC is among the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) assisted cooperatives which were identified as eligible to implement PRDP enterprises in 2017. Although the Cooperative’s enterprise was issued a No Objection Letter in the same year, the procurement of the components of the enterprise took time due to price increase in vehicles and goods.
Representing Regional Executive Director Lucrecio R. Alviar Jr, CESO III, Ms. Lorna Tabali of the Agriculture and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) and the Enterprise Component of the PRDP emphasized the project’s sustainability to the members of the San Fermin ARB MPC. “It is a challenge for you to sustain the Project. We hope isu ti pangrugianen Apo dadiyay benefits nga ararapaapen iti Department of Agriculture nga maipan kadagiti farmers tayo ditoy Caba, particularly in San Fermin MPC.” [We hope that this will be a breakthrough in achieving the benefits targeted to be given by the Department of Agriculture to the farmers of Caba, particularly to the San Fermin ARB MPC.]
Regional Director Atty. Judita Montemayor Tungol of the DAR also attended the turnover of the four-wheel tractor to the San Fermin ARB MPC. She congratulated the San Fermin ARB MPC for ranking 71st among DAR-assisted Cooperatives in Region 1.
The San Fermin ARB MPC is the first regular enterprise subproject to be awarded by the Provincial Government of La Union under the PRDP. The Cooperative will receive the other components of its enterprise in the succeeding months within the year. # Dessa U. Estrada, RPCO1 InfoACE
