Iloilo City (PIA) – A White Copra and Refined Bleached and Deodorized Oil Processing (RBDO) Processing Center will soon rise in Barangay Sapal in San Lorenzo town in Guimaras province as the project broke ground, May, 19.
The processing center is one of shared processing facilities being established across the country under the under Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) that is being implemented by the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) as part of its mandate under Republic Act No. 11524 or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Guimaras Gov. JC Rahman Nava together with national, regional and provincial officials and representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Coconut Authority, and Philippine Center for Postharvest Development Mechanization (Philmech), Cooperative Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, among others.
Engr. Andres Tuates of Philmech said that the P16.25 million processing facility has an input of 5,000 nuts per day processing capacity and will consist of processing equipment and a building with a floor area of about 688 square meter.
Tuates added that once operational, the facility will be managed by the local government unit of Guimaras in partnership with Guimaras Coconut Farmers Agri. Cooperative as beneficiary.
It will offer premium quality coconut cooking oil in the local market with a reasonable price and that they will be buying raw materials at one peso higher than the market price.
During the event, Nava expressed his gratitude to all the responsible agencies that made the project possible.
Operations Manager of Guimaras Coconut Farmers Agri. Cooperative Jun Dexter Guay said that they are optimistic about the project and he added that the project will maximize the production of raw materials in the province which will provide his fellow coconut farmers the opportunity to increase their income. (AAL/EJB/PIA 6)
