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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Pangasinan town's cassava industry gets backers from national gov't

Pangasinan town's cassava industry gets backers from national gov't

Published Jun 14, 2021 04:04 pm

Various government agencies have promised to assist a Pangasinan town's burgeoning cassava industry, which was created through sheer necessity during the most difficult stretches of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-triggered lockdown last year.

Cassava chips and Cassava cake (Photo courtesy of the Department of Agrarian Reform)

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the local government unit (LGU) of Natividad in Pangasinan have all expressed their commitment to help secure a Food and Drug Administration-License to Operate (FDA-LTO) for the cassava processing business of the Calapugan Agrarian Reform Cooperative.

Having the FDA-LTO will ensure the cooperative's smooth business operation and a steady market for its products.

Pangasinan Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Maria Ana B. Francisco said the commitment was made during the buy-in session that the DAR conducted with its partner agencies.

The event was held to train the Calapugan Agrarian Reform Cooperative, which has 90 members, under the DAR's Village Level Farm-Focused Enterprise Development (VLFED) project.

Francisco disclosed that at the height of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), farmers in Pangasinan struggled to make a living, prompting them to switch to cassava processing in order to extend the shelf life of cassava.

Since the cassava has already been processed from its root form, the cooperative's products such as cassava chips and cassava cakes may be sold at a higher price.

The DAR-led program teaches agrarian reform beneficiary organization (ARBO) leaders about product development and enhancement of managerial skills. It also helps ARBOs secure the required FDA-LTO for their business.

“Apart from capacitating ARBO members to become successful agri-entrepreneurs, the DAR has allocated P300,000 to develop the processing facility of the cooperative,” Francisco said.

She said the members of the cooperative produce locally-sourced cassava, which they process into the snacks.

Calapugan, Natividad is reportedly poised to become the cassava chips capital of Eastern Pangasinan this year on the strength of Calapugan Agrarian Reform Cooperative's presence in the area.

Related Tags

61421 cassava cake cassava capital cassava chips Department of Agrarian Reform pangasinan
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