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Magsasakang Tanaueño Agricultural Marketing Cooperative (MTAMC) is the recipient of the newly inaugurated processing facility from the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Agriculture and the Tanauan LGU, February 21.
MTAMC has long been engaged in calamansi and mango farming. In 2020, members of the agricultural cooperative underwent a DOST- Batangas and DOST-ITDI (Industrial Technology Development Institute) sponsored training on post-harvest processing. This venture enabled MTAMC to add value to their products and upcycle their supply surplus, especially during peak seasons that run from March to June (Mango) and August to October (calamansi). A year after, MTAMC was awarded the DOST- GIA (Grants-In-Aid) program grant.
The newly- built facility in Janopol Oriental, Tanauan Batangas is intended for the production of mango and calamansi-based ready-to-drink-juice-drink, concentrate, and puree. Inside the facility are stainless steel tables, jacketed kettle, and semi-automatic filling and capping machines— all of which are funded by DOST-CaLaBaRZon. Moreover, product formulation and processes are technologies developed by DOST-ITDI.
On the other hand, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) and the Local Government Unit of Tanauan (LGU-Tanauan) funded the construction of the processing facility and educational assets to raise income, productivity, and competitiveness of MTAMC and its products.
This multi-agency effort is also enjoined by the expertise of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) which provided MTAMC with technical assistance on improvement and sustainability of production mechanism and equipment provided by DOST.
The 75 farmer-members of MTAMC have also set out calamansi and mango saplings which are expected to boost production by 50%. Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Inc., the largest wiring harness manufacturer and top exporter of automotive parts in the Philippines, has pledged to market a portion of the aforementioned products in its canteens and commissaries.
A technology clinic with DOST-ITDI was held after the inauguration to ensure MTAMC’s compliance with food processing standards.
photos from: DOST Batangas Facebook page
