TARLAC CITY — Department of Science and Technology (DOST) provided about PhP683,020 worth of production equipment to three cooperatives in Tarlac.
Recipients include Mayantoc Sweet Potato Clean Planting Materials (SPCPM) Cooperative, Pindangan 2nd Primary Multipurpose Cooperative from Camiling, and Ventinilla Farmers Marketing Cooperative from Paniqui.
DOST Provincial Science and Technology Center Director Karen Danez said the agency’s Grant-in-Aid program aims to enhance the production of farmers getting into enterprise development.
“We distributed it to beneficiaries through our synchronization program with Department of Agrarian Reform and Department of Trade and Industry,” she said.
“We hope that these technological interventions would encourage more of our farmers to venture into farming-related enterprises that will provide them with extra income during off-season,” Danez furthered.
Mayantoc SPCPM Cooperative, who are producers of sweet potato noodles and snacks, received a noodle maker, fryer and molder worth PhP 146,480.
“Before, we do it manually, now, our speed of production increased because of the equipment and now we have a new source of sustainable income,” Mayantoc SPCM Cooperative Quality Assurance Head Pamela Agabao shared.
Moreover, Pindangan 2nd Primary Multipurpose Cooperative chairperson Gaudencio Lactaoen expressed his gratitude to DOST for the processing equipment they received worth PhP 441,540.
It includes a solar tunnel dryer, fryer, stainless steel pots and food thermometer that will be utilized for chichacorn production.
“We thank DOST for the equipment they have given us, because of these our production tripled,” Lactaoen shared.
And lastly, Ventinilla Farmers Marketing Cooperative received a double chamber vacuum packaging machine worth PhP 95,000 which will help not only enhance the packaging appearance of their black, brown and red rice products but also prolong its shelf life.
DOST, together with its partner agencies continually extend its support to farmers moving to farming-related enterprise to aid their production for more sustainable income.