Pangasinan farmers’ coop profit up

Pandemic woes may be over as the Bantog Samahang Nayon Multi-purpose Cooperative (BSNMC), a group of farmers here, recorded sales of PHP4 million for eight months last year from their carabao fresh milk, milky buns, and other carabao-milk based products.

BSNMC president Rolly Mateo said for the first time in 30 years, they were able to distribute dividends to their members.

“One of our members received PHP500,000 as the highest while another received PHP100,000,” he said in an interview on Friday.

He said they did not give out dividends before as they opted to use their income in acquiring their own land, constructing a building, and purchasing the needs of the group.

Mateo said they were assisted by national government agencies, the provincial government, and the local government, especially at the height of the pandemic.

BSNMC donated some of its products at the start of the lockdowns in 2020 but they continued with their production.

Mateo said they secured a contract with the Department of Education (DepEd) Pangasinan II Schools Division to supply some 52,250 packs (200 milliliters each) of carabao fresh milk and milky buns to institutions under its jurisdiction.

The provincial government also ordered products from the cooperative last year for the supplemental feeding of undernourished children.

The group likewise introduced innovation to their products, including packaging, with the help of some national government agencies to cater to the demands of the DepEd’s supplemental feeding program in far-flung areas in the province.

One of them is the canned carabao fresh milk that can last up to six months compared to the tetra packaging that only has a 45-day shelf life when placed in a freezer.

“Due to the lockdown last year, we were unable to sell most of our products because our customers cannot travel. But now, we are glad we have this partnership with the provincial government as well as the local government of Asingan and now with the DepEd,” he said.

He cited the Philippine Carabao Center, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Agrarian Reform, among others, as partners to further develop their products and the cooperative as well

The cooperative started distributing dairy products in 2005 and they now have over 200 members.

The other products they sell are yogurt (mango, strawberry, blueberry, and chocolate flavors), corn-flavored ice cream, pastillas (milk candies), polvoron (crumbly dessert made of milk and sugar), and fresh milk in bottles.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Recent Posts

Advertisement