The Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) has switched on the green light to support another small enterprise aimed to increase the income of Heirloom rice farmers in Mountain Province.

The PRDP’s Project Support Office (PSO) Luzon A Cluster recently, issued a “No Objection” for the Mt. Province Heirloom Rice Consolidation Processing and Marketing enterprise proposed by the Barlig Development Cooperative to immediately commence with the procurement activities identified in the approved plans submitted therein for initial approval.

The already existing enterprise wants to upgrade the processing and marketing of quality organically produced heirloom rice varieties for local and export markets.

The Cooperative boasts of its products of red, purple black and white colored rice, rice hulls, rice bran and broken grains. Locally, their produce are called omino, chorchor-os and fiagsang.

With a total investment cost of P6.5-million, the local government of Mt. Province as implementing unit, the enterprise aims to strengthen and develop a viable heirloom rice enterprise here through the PRDP interventions to increase the productivity of the farmers heirloom rice varieties.

The Cooperative is optimistic that it will reach its goal of improving the quality of life of heirloom rice growers in the area with the proposed interventions which includes the establishment of trading and consolidation/ processing center, purchase of hauling vehicle, provision of trading and operating capital, and acquisition of other appropriate processing equipment to improve the business.

The enterprise was proposed under the Investments in Rural Enterprise and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) component of the PRDP. (Mabel Zabala, RPCO-CAR InfoACE Unit)