As preparation for the opening of their Coco Sugar Processing enterprise, the Organic Farmers, Producers and Processors Association of Odiongan (ORFPPASO) attended a Product Development Training on Coco Sugar Production in Candelaria, Quezon, June 26-27, 2024.

Serving as resource speaker for the said training is Coco Deli Coconut Products, a social enterprise which has successfully supplied coco sugar to multiple supermarket chains in the country. 

When asked about what they learned in the training, ORFPPASO Board Director Cesar Fabic explained that they learned how to rectify the mistakes that they encountered in their previous coco sugar production trials.

“Sa pagsasanay pong ito ay madami kaming natutunan po sa pagluluto ng coco sugar na dati-dati naming ginagawa ay parang mayroon kaming mga pagkakamali. Subalit ngayon ay may mga karagdagang kaalaman na at sikretong natutunan kung paano po namin maisaayos ang pagluluto at paggawa pa ng iba pang coconut finished products,” said Fabic.

(We learned a lot in making coco sugar from this training, especially how to properly cook the sugar so we can avoid our previous mistakes. Now we have additional knowledge and tricks in order to produce not just quality coco sugar, but other coconut finished products as well.)

Meanwhile, General Manager Julia Gregorio shared that she realized the importance of religiously following the process to create a quality product.

“Ang natutunan ko sa training na ito ay para magkaroon ng good quality finished product, kailangan na sumunod tayo sa tamang process, ‘yung time susundin nang mabuti para sa simula pa lang ma-process natin ito as good quality product,” stated Gregorio.

(What we learned is that in order to have a good quality finished product, we need to follow the right process, we have to follow the time properly from the start so we will be able to process this into good quality products.)

The Organic Farmers, Producers and Processors Association of Odiongan (ORFPPASO) is the proponent group of the Odiongan Coco Sugar Processing enterprise. With a subproject cost of Php10.6 million, this enterprise aims to increase the standard of living of coconut farmers in Romblon through the processing of coco sugar. This subproject was completed in March 2024 and is soon to primarily benefit the 59 members of ORFPPASO. # (Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Members of ORFPPASO packaging their finished product after the two-day training workshop. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

ORFPPASO Board Director Cesar Fabic tries his hand at preparing coconut sap to be made into coco sugar. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)