Mountain Province Coffee Growers Received Assistance

The Arabica Coffee Enterprise of Mountain Province along with its satellite buying stations situated in the different coffee producing municipalities of the province will be turned over to the Proponent Groups (PGs) on February 12, 2020.

This was announced by the new Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) head of Mountain Province Daniel K. Likigan as he presented the status of subprojects implemented under the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) last January 23 during the Project’s Year-end Assessment.

With a total cost amounting to P12.17 million (P8.78 for its infrastructure component and P3.38 for its enterprise operations), the PGs of the Mountain Province Arabica Coffee Enterprise (MPACE) can now start with its enterprise operations for the consolidation, processing, and marketing of Arabica coffee.

MPACE was conceptualized in a bid to increase the value of Arabica coffee in the locality. Various farmer groups with or without existing coffee production/processing businesses collaborated and partnered with each other with assistance from the provincial Local Government Unit (LGU) for the preparation and approval of their business plan.

The lead PG for the enterprise is the Besao Multipurpose Cooperative (BMPC) where the main consolidation and Trading Center was constructed. Affiliate PGs include the Tadian MPC, Sagada MPC, Sagada Credit Cooperative, St. Barnabas MPC, Bagnen-Balintaugan Timpuyog Credit Cooperative, Maggon Rural Improvement Club, and Dangdang-ay di I-Bila MPC.

The satellite buying stations for the enterprise were constructed in Sagada, Tadian, and Bauko. Aside from these civil works, coffee processing equipment and supplies will also be turned over to the PGs. The total cost for this subproject was shared by the World Bank (60%), the DA (20%), the PLGU (20%), and an additional 20% equity from the PGs.

Darlyn Rodriguez, Manager of BMPC said that finally, they would be able to give assistance to their coffee grower-members and hopefully contribute for the increase in productivity and marketability of coffee not only in their municipality but in the province as a whole. (DA-PRDP)