Photo by Vanessa A. Tingson
Farmers’ group in Negros Occidental trained by Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are now selling their own-produced brown rice in The District-Ayala Mall in Talisay City.
“We are happy that our local farmers now bring their goods in this type of market place. Linking their products with the supermarkets and other business development providers is one of the objectives of the Rice Business Innovation System (RiceBIS) Program,” said Anileen O. Pajarillo, RiceBIS Negros staff.
RiceBIS Negros Agrarian Reform Cooperative (RiceBISNARCo) members sell their packed goods branded as “Murciana: Brown Rice na Tatak Negrense” in a stall paid by a local government unit. The cooperative sells unpolished black and red traditional varieties and unpolished white rice with good-eating quality.
The farmers use their own harvest to produce the pinawa or unpolished rice, which they learned from the agro-enterprise development project, and sell them at P50-60 per kilo. Brown Rice Processing Impeller Technology is used to ensure the quality of unpolished rice.
“With this new venture, our members will have better income. They get extra P9.00 for a kilo of brown rice. From now on, we will not only depend on direct selling of fresh palay for P17-23 per kilo only,” said Rabboni Villarosa, RiceBISNARCo manager. The cooperative has 34 members from Victorias City and Murcia working in the production and marketing strategies.
The coop’s products will also be available during the Maskara Festival celebration in an open market in Bacolod City this October.
