LA CASTELLANA, Negros Occidental — Agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in this central Negros municipality are eyeing to expand sugarcane production with some help from the government and the private sector.
The Dama Farm Workers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (Dafwarba) based in Barangay Cabacungan, on Monday said it is seeking to acquire additional farmlands following a successful 15 year partnership with a private firm engaged in the export of sugarcane products.
The group has been in partnership with Alter Trade Corporation (ATC) since 2003. The partnership has allowed Dafwarba to generate additonal income through the “fair trade premium” system. “With the support of the local government and private organizations like Alter Trade, we are optimistic to expand and increase our production,” Dafwarba president Daniel Diamante said during their 15th anniversary celebration here.
Dafwarba is working on expanding its sugarcane farm by an additonal 30 hectares, he revealed. Ten hectares will be funded using a portion of their fair trade premium while the remaining 20 hectares, through capital build-up, Diamante added.
He said the group jointly owns a total of 78 hectares. This is divided into 48 hectares for sugarcane farming, 26 hectares for forests and the remaining 20 hectares for rice production.
Diamante said through ATC, their muscovado produce has been exported to markets in Europe and Korea since 2008. They were able to acquire a fair trade certification, which enabled their organization to earn about P2 million worth of fair trade premium since 2012. “Using the fair trade premium, we were able to purchase tractor and truck, and renovate the multi-purpose center,” Diamante said.
Fair trade premium was described as a cash incentive paid to farmers on top of the usual price of their produce.
ATC vice president Arnel Ligahon disclosed that a fair trade premium of P0.80 per kilogram of exported muscovado is paid to Dafwarba on top of the amount paid for sugarcane products sold. He explained that this premium cannot be divided among the members as the fair trade standard states that “it should be used for community development.”
ATC is reportedly one of the biggest muscovado producers in Negros Occidental, which processes an annual export quota of 2,000 tons of raw cane sugar.
Dafwarba, which was organized on June 4, 2003, is composed of 66 farmer-members holding 27 certificates of land ownership award.
Meanwhile, Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan, who attended the ARB organization’s celebration, said Dafwarba’s success story is worth emulating. She added that the municipal government is planning to implement a potable water system in their community. (Erwin Nicavera/PNA)
