PRESS RELEASE No. 59
Since 2020, the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita has granted close to P60 million financial grants to some 45 farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in the Bicol. This was disclosed by Adelina A. Losa, Chief of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD).
Under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2020 Refocused budget, six (6) FCAs received a total of 439,200.00 worth of 25 bags of rice, 20 pcs stackable crates, analog weighing scale, digital weighing scale and solar calculator which they used to put up Kadiwa Stores. Meanwhile, under the Bayanihan 1, 10 FCAs were granted with delivery truck, equipment and working capital totaling to P10 million.
Under the Bayanihan 2, the project Enhanced Kadiwa 2: Marketing Logistics Support Program, two FCAs, namely: Labo Progressive Multi-purpose Cooperative (LPMC) in Camarines Norte and CamSur Multi-purpose Cooperative in Pili, Camarines Sur received P5 million each. The LPMPC used the P5M to put up Kadiwa Store building and procured equipment, delivery truck and a portion was used as working capital. Meanwhile, the CMPC also established a Kadiwa Store building, cold storage and procured cold truck van.
Another recipient under the Enhanced Kadiwa 2: Marketing Logistics Support Program was the LGU Dimasalang, Masbate which used the P2.95 million financial grant to procure rice recirculating dryer.
Under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2021 Enhanced Kadiwa, nine (9) FCAs received a total financial grant of P21.4 million. Meanwhile, 10 FCAs were granted a Kadiwa Retail Store with an aggregate amount of P1.5 million. Additional 9.9million from locally funded projects were provided to seven (7) beneficiaries; 5 of which are LGUs and 2 were FCAs.
CamSur Multipurpose Cooperative Kadiwa Store
On April 25, 2022 the CMPC opened its new Kadiwa Store building beside its main office in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur. Major products displayed at the Kadiwa Store include fresh vegetables and fruits produced by 95 farmer -members within Camarines Sur. The Kadiwa Store also served as outlet for the processed and branded products of the different FCAs being assisted by the CMPC. The products are being paid cash by the CMPC upon delivery of the farmer suppliers or upon pick up at the farm/production site by the coop’s Kadiwa truck.
Products displayed at the CMPC Kadiwa store include black rice, brown rice (Pinawa) and iron fortified rice, all produced by the CMPC. There are also red rice and glutinous black rice produced by the Golden Parauma association based in Pamplona, Cam. Sur. Other products include Soy coffee, malunggay powder, veggie chips, turmeric tea, all by Jireh Food Products based in Daet, Cam. Norte; chili powder, coco jam and chili sauce produced by Golden Parauma; rice brew, turmeric and lemon grass powder by Lirag Agrarian Farmer Beneficiaries Cooperative in San Isidro, Bula, Cam. Sur.
Labo Progressive Multi-Purpose Coop (LPMPC)
The LMPC has 8,000 members from the four branches of the cooperative in Daet, Labo, Capalonga, and Panganiban in Cam. Norte. According to Thelma Lucerna, Senior Bookkeeper, 85% of the LMPC members are farmers.
The LPMPC took over the management and operation of the AgriPinoy Trading Center in Mat-I, Vinzons, Cam. Norte. With the P5M Enhanced Kadiwa 2 Grant, the coop put up Kadiwa Store building along the highway at the front of the APTC on December 2021. The coop also purchased 1 unit winged van which is being utilized as Kadiwa on Wheels.
Major products of the LPMPC members include Formosa pineapple and pinakbet vegetables. The coop through the Kadiwa grant working capital regularly buys the produce of the members and sell them at the APTC, the Kadiwa store or deliver them to Sariaya, Quezon.
One of the suppliers of vegetables to the Kadiwa is the Ginakutan Vegetable Growers Assn. led by its President Marvin Mago who has delivered a total of 2,556 kilos of assorted vegetables such as squash, eggplant, patola and okra, chili pepper and pineapple to the APTC from January to April 2022.
The LPMPC is also engaged in processing pineapple juice carrying the brand name Queench. For the month of April, a total of 29,192 packs of Queench pineapple juice were delivered to various clients in Cam. Norte and Camarines Sur. (Lovella P. Guarin / RAFIS 5)
(Photo credit: Jun Collantes, Hermito Privaldos, Emil Pasumbal, Zadra Abogado)