P14.8-M grant to help co-ops revive Kalinga coffee industry

TABUK CITY, Kalinga: In a move to revive the dying coffee industry granted P14.8 million in assistance through the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP).

Juliana Aclam, assistant provincial agriculturist, said the pooled assistance from the PRDP and national and provincial governments will be utilized for coffee processing and marketing enterprise, particularly on green coffee bean trading.

”The project in collaboration with the provincial local government aims to explore a partnership engagement on the processing and marketing of specialty coffee,” Aclam added.

She said this is a potential add-on to Kalinga Coffee Cluster (KCC), an approved enterprise development sub-project under the PRDP.

Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Tanudan Savings and Lending Cooperative, Mananig Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Gawidan Malin-awa Marketing Cooperative and Nambucayan Agricultural Cooperative.

Aclam said the World Bank through the PRDP will provide P6.3 million in loan proceeds for Kalinga Integrated Coffee Processing and Marketing industry while the national government will contribute P1.7 million and the provincial government, P1.7 million and P5 million in equity.

The KCC has approved the P14.8million project cost for the integrated coffee processing and marketing as a sub-project under PRDP’s enterprise development component.

The PRDP’s business model covers only production, pre-processing and consolidation of green coffee beans, the industry name for raw, unroasted coffee.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture- Cordillera Regional pieces of machinery to seven farmers’ association with a total value of P2.6 million.

Bakir Corn Vegetable Farmers Association in Rizal town received one unit mobile corn mill.

A hammer mill each was given to Rizal’s Timpuyog Farmers Association and Ammacian Land Reform Farmers Association in Pinukpuk town.

A cassava pulverizer was given to Mabaca Rural Improvement Club and a cassava chipper to Baccong Rural Improvement Club, both in Tanudan town.

A cassava granulator went to Tabuk’s Atop Organic Practitioner and coffee depulpers each to Tabuk and Tinglayan.