UNORKA Mindanao, a cooperative organization, will push for the production of organic durian and cacao projects in Mindanao.
During the Mindanao Development Forum 2024 held on July 24, Ronita Buenaventura, Unorka Mindanao executive director, said they are working closely with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) for the ongoing research of the said project.
“Those two commodities are in the research stage and are ending this 2025. The next phase, we’ll be expecting the full bloom of the results of that research project,” Buenaventura said.
Unorka Mindanao consists of 53,000 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries in the entire Mindanao, engaging various crops such as cavendish banana, coconut oil palm, cacao, coffee, durian, apple, cereals, rice, and corn.
Buenaventura said they are presently asking for support through the MinDA forum to expand the project’s scope to sustain the entire Mindanao as the research currently involves 80 farmers to 100 hectares of land to accommodate durian alone.
“For the research only and social preparation, we do have P53 million given by KOICA. But if we’ll go to the processing, especially if we talk about the infrastructure, we have to expand the area to sustain the market,” she said.
The project research includes durian-feasible areas in Davao City, namely Brgy. Wangan, Tamayong, and Sirib for Calinan District, and Manuel Guianga for Tugbok District.
Buenaventura noted that they aim to target South Korea as its target market for organic durian and cacao produce.
“Sinigurado talaga namin na merong captured market. Meron kaming ginagawang internal control system wherein each farmer will coordinate as to how many trees can they produce so that it will help us to project the volume and quantity to come up with the market price,” she added.
Meanwhile, organic cacao production is still in the initial stage of the research project. The project started its trial farm for durian, where the quality of the fruit will be tested in October this year.
She noted that they are also in the process of testing their pest and management control, and to further encourage neighboring areas to practice organic farming as well.
“MinDA is also working out on opening the Korean market. The farmers will not just also produce to survive but we could also alleviate their fear of dying out of hunger,” she added.
Photo from Wilbert Estabillo
