Coffee growers from Negros Occidental will have a chance to acquire support from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development Mechanization (PhilcMech) project on the Utilization and Promotion of Developed Postharvest Technologies for Sustainable Community-Based Coffee Processing Enterprise.

PhilMech Project Development Officer 1 Engr. Danilo Gamalog said yesterday that they are conducting exploratory site visits in Negros Occidental of different coffee growers or processors' areas that need more support and coaching on business management skills to become profitable.

The project aims to boost productivity and income of coffee growers and processors through the utilization and adoption of PhilMech developed postharvest technologies, he said.

The exploratory site visits yesterday included the Integrated Social Forestry (ISF) Federation in Salvador Benedicto town.

Other prospects include the Purok Igkalayo Bug-as Farmers Association (PIBFA) in Murcia, La Carlota Organic Coffee Producers Organization, Alay sa Kalikasan (AKO) Organization in La Castellana and the Organic na Negros! Organic Producers and Retailers Association (ONOPRA) in Bacolod City, said Provincial Cacao and Coffee Coordinator Marjo Balinas.

We have our criteria wherein the selected coffee processors will then be subjected to further evaluation and field validation, Gamalog said. *KDP

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