DAIRY CO-OP IN SAN AGUSTIN, ISABELA MOVES ON

In 2010, the LGU of San Agustin, Isabela declared its town as “Crossbred Buffalo Capital of the Philippines” owing to its huge number of crossbred buffaloes.

Now, this town has another mission, which is indicated in the PCAARRD project titled “Transforming San Agustin as CBED Model for Crossbred Buffaloes”.

Carrying the brunt for this move is “San Agustin Dairy Cooperative (SADACO)” which has been established through the joint efforts of the dairy farmers in that town, the PCC@CSU, the Provincial Government of Isabela, the LGU of San Agustin and other line agencies of the government.

The co-op was organized to join together the crossbred buffalo farmers in the municipality and transform them from mere raisers to progressive dairy farmers and to fortify the identity of the municipality as the crossbred buffalo capital of the country.

After two years of operation, SADACO was awarded as “Entrepreneur of the Year” (2014) under the Cooperative Category of the DTI in Region 2.

The PCC assists SADACO in ensuring the quality of the raw milk that it collects up to its processing to different dairy products. The co-op collects not less than 300 liters of milk daily while farmermembers continuously cooperate in order to sustain their supply of milk.

The SADACO is considered as the only co-op engaged in the dairy enterprise in the entire Isabela. It buys the milk from the farmermembers and processed it into milk products.

It markets its products mainly through its outlet at Masaya Centro in that town, different schools in San Agustin and among Indian nationals in Santiago City and Cauayan City.

Currently, it sells raw milk, pasteurized milk, flavored milk, milk-o-gel, pastillas and ice candy to its clients. It intends to widen its array of products to be offered to the public for sale like cheeses and flavored ice cream.

The co-op also intensifies its marketing and promotional strategies like closing deal with potential clients and joining trade fairs and exhibits.

Over the years, SADACO endeavors to become a ready market for the milk produced by its farmermembers. The co-op is planning to set up more outlets in the growth centers of Isabela and in nearby provinces. It plans to have its own refrigerated van for the transport of its various products.

In the previous year, SADACO received around Php8.5 million worth of assistance from the PRDP I-REAP component.

It was among the PCC-assisted co-ops that became beneficiaries of I-REAP, which included the Integrated Farmers’ Cooperative (IFC) in Brgy. Namabbalan Norte, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; Rang-Ay Ti Pussian Farmers’ Cooperative (RTPFC) in Alcala, Cagayan; and Bohol Dairy Cooperative (BODACO) in Ubay, Bohol.

The SADACO is looking forward to a greater demand of its products in the coming years.