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I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Bansalan is coconut country, where coconuts, rice, corn, sugarcane fruits, vegetables and livestock are grown, with coconuts predominating.

Since time immemorial the copra trade, like most major products are in the hands of traders who are well entrenched in the area. Thus in order to have control of its products, the coconut farmers banded themselves to gain a fair share of the copra trade, at the same time, gain added benefits from marketing.

Through sheer grit and determination, the early officers of Bansalan Federation of Small Coconut Organizations (BAFESCO), forerunner of BCMC, started the copra trading with PhP 30,000.00 equity contributions and PhP 100,000.00 soft loan from Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

It was agonizingly slow at first for the members cannot fully patronize the coop outright as most are tied up with the traders’ through cash advances. The copra trade is in the hands of a few rich traders who virtually control the trade.

As we were able to sell our copra directly to the millers like Legaspi Oil and Cargill Philippines we eventually were able to take-off in a year’s time when our initial capital doubled. We encountered a lot of problems along the way, but through vigilance, patience, hard work, and unity we were able to overcome them. Cooperativism in the true sense.

In due time we started “micro lending” to aid farmers who in many instances need cash advances for harvesting and processing.
 

II. ACCOMPLISHMENTS/COOPERATIVE MILEAGE

The biggest challenge we encountered was how to win the trust and confidence of the farmers. A fledgling cooperative managed by inexperience leaders with scanty resources is certainly no match against the rich traders who are entrenched in the industry since time immemorial. But somehow, with grit, patience, persistence we gained a foothold. In due time, with diligent efforts and honest service we gained the trust and confidence of the people. The coop begun to snowball in membership and copra volume when the coop’s reputation for honesty and fairness were confirmed by the members.

Aside from earnestly pursuing/advocating copra quality improvement, and assisting farmers in setting up Kukum Driers through the assistance of Cargill, DOLE and PCA, the coop now is expanding its assistance to charcoal making by setting up charcoal kilns at strategic farm areas.

Soon the coop will embark on providing ancillary services essential and complimentary to copra, which the members are demanding, to wit:

1.      Fresh Nut Buying
  • There are members who prefer to sell fresh nuts instead of copra.
2.      Coconut Planting Program
  • In line with the government’s effort to boost production, the coop is earnestly pursuing to serve the tremendous demand for seedlings.
3.      Charcoal Kiln Improvement
  • Charcoal is an essential ancillary product of coconuts, adding substantially to the farmers’ income. Presently the method of using oil drums for charcoal making is rather costly in that the drums cost PhP 500.00 each and will only last for a year or less.
  • So far the coop constructed ten kilns made of bricks with five drums capacity and has a lifespan of 10 years or more and dispersed in strategic coconut growing areas. We hope to fill the demand within the five-year development program of the coop.

4.      Multi-Cropping Systems
  • Studies shows that planting coconuts in monoculture utilizes only a small portion of the farm. Under traditional planting distance of 9x9 to 10x10 meters, only 17 to 25 percent of land area is used since the coconuts effective feeding area is only within a radius of two meters, thereby leaving a lot of interspaces that can very well be used for growing other cops, to optimize land use and increase productivity (Dr. R. Creencia, UPLB).
  • BCMC is presently highlighting a Bansalan farmer, Mr. Ben Lao, for his novel way of coco farming. By producing coco sap, turning it to “Coco Sap Drink” and coco sugar; producing organic fertilizers from earthworm, swine and goat manure; producing methane biogas for his kitchen, Ben Lao has multiplied several times over the added values to his farm products.
  • He ably demonstrated that one can lift himself by his own bootstraps, that farming is profitable, fulfilling and satisfying. That one need not go abroad to Japan, USA, Canada or Saudi to get rich. That the farm is a veritable goldmine; that all the farmers need is simply use his “COCONUTS”.
  • BCMC considered Ben Lao a farmer par excellence, a beacon of hope to the backbone of the nation, a worthy model for the young farmers and pride of Bansalan and the coconut industry.


III PROBLEMS MET/CORRESPONDING SOLUTIONS
  • The coop, being self-reliant, depends largely on members’ equity contributions. Despite the dearth of funds, we survived due mainly to the efforts of the leaders and strong cooperative spirit permeating the whole membership. Now the general assembly approved a 2% retention from their loans and sales for capital build-up, which presently amounts to 400 thousand a year. The banks are also offering loans when the coop reached the million mark. Of course we took     advantage of it, and now BCMC is counted among their most valued  customers.
  • Poor quality copra remains to be the major problem of the industry. High moisture content, aflatoxin and PAH content plague the industry since time immemorial. With assistance from PCA, DOLE, Cargill and LGU of Bansalan, BCMC is earnestly pursuing improvement by setting up Kukum Driers and developing innovative schemes to attract cooperation from farmers.
  •  Trainings/seminars on quality improvement are regularly conducted. A Price incentive of one peso per kilo is offered by the coop for white Kukum Dried copra. We do hope an incentive of 2 or 3 pesos per kilo will be given to encourage copra quality, aside from setting up of stringent measures and strict compliance imposed by the government.

Partners in Progess:

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