50 farmers to benefit from banana flour facility in Iligan City

According to [Philippine News Agency], at least 50 farmers will benefit from the banana flour processing facility that the Department of Science and Technology in Region 10 (DOST-10) will help establish in Iligan City, Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said Friday.

"The project will utilize agricultural by-products to create additional sources of income to members of Iligan Agri-Rainbow Producers Cooperative (IARPC) and other associated farmers," he said in a taped report.

Through technical training and provision of the technologies, DOST-X will enable the farmers to produce high-quality flour from a monthly average of 1-ton unutilized bananas, such as low class cardaba variety, he added.

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Banana farmers. (Photo / Provided by the Department of Agriculture – Caraga)

DOST-10 Director Alfonso Alamban told the Philippine News Agency that aside from the provision of equipment, they will also provide laboratory analysis on shelf life and nutrifacts.

Among the equipment to be provided include banana slicing machine, stainless steel table, stainless steel sink, dehydrator, pulverizer/flour mill, grinding machine, and portable moisture meter.

"We already turned over the funds last week to LGU (local government unit) of Iligan. The goal is to complete the identified activities such as procurement of technologies and conduct of laboratory analysis within one year," Lanao Del Norte Provincial Science and Technology Director Dorina Mae Ytang told the PNA.

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Ytang said the budget allocation is PHP631,160 for the project.

Meanwhile, de la Peña said that with the assistance of the Iligan LGU, IARPC will be trading their products to local bakeries, farms, gardeners, and will also be assisted by other partner agencies.

According to [Philippine News Agency], the project will also be producing organic fertilizer from the banana peel, he said.