THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved P11.2 million worth for a coffee consolidation enterprise in Mountain Province to boost production of the high-value crop.
The DA-Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) has greenlit the initial procurement processes for the coffee enterprise of the Aliwes Irrigators Association Inc. in Bontoc town.
P2.5 million of the P11.2 million fund for the coffee project is to be provided by the cooperative, either in cash or in kind. Meanwhile, P5.48 million will be for civil works while the remainder will be used for the machinery and supplies, working capital to buy raw materials and transport services.
The project is set to benefit at least 60 coffee grower-members of Aliwes in Barangay Mainit, Bontoc who can also help consolidate the produce of non-member growers in the capital town once the enterprise is established. It will work along with another DA-PRDP-funded coffee enterprise in the province.
Through the enterprise, the association will consolidate, trade and market quality arabica coffee green beans following the Philippine National Standards, through which the DA-PRDP projects will increase the average net income of coffee farmer-beneficiary with an average of at least 50.80 percent increase in the first 10 years of operation.
