Gov’t agencies tapped more FCAs to supply cassava fresh tubers to a Korean company eyeing to establish a starch manufacturing plant in MisOr.

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) from Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon may have alternative markets for their fresh cassava tubers with a Korean company eyeing to establish a starch manufacturing plant in Misamis Oriental.

The Department of Trade and Industry – Bureau of Investments (DTI-BOI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) convened five more cassava producing FCAs on January 11-12, 2022 in CdeO City and via online.

These additional groups are from the towns of Alubijid, Balingoan and Balingasag of MisOr, and Manolo Fortich of Bukidnon, likely bringing to a total of 30 endorsed FCAs to the interested buyer, targeting to implement their cassava processing manufacturing project at barangay Sta. Ana, Tagoloan.

DA-10 Cassava focal person Jurrybe J. Lachica led the discussions on the provisions of the proposed Memorandum of Agreement between the company and the pre-identified raw material supplier organizations, with the assistance from DTI-BOI.

Among the salient concerns tackled are volume of deliveries, pricing mechanics, delivery period, quality parameters, and payment term, and the different potential windows of assistance from the agencies were likewise bared.

According to DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, the focus on the tackled concerns is on optimizing the yield per area planted by the cassava clusters and capital needs to scale up their cassava operations.

Should the dealings be finalized, a signing of the discoursed agreement will hopefully be pursued this month between the company and that of the FCAs, in the presence of the representatives from the mentioned national government agencies and local government units of the tapped cassava clusters. # (JLO)