Calamansi farmers in this province can now commercially start the processing and production of juice.

This, as the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the High-Value Crops Development Program, turned over Tuesday a calamansi processing facility to Eden Organic and Livestock Farm in Barangay Cabalantian, Bacolor, this province.

With total funding of PHP949,749, the establishment of the facility aims to help boost the capacity of the farmers of the recipient farm in the production of calamansi juice.

Jose Jeffrey Rodriguez, project development officer of the DA’s High-Value Crops and Rural Credit, said on Wednesday that the project targets to increase the potential of their calamansi harvest by making bottled juice drinks out of it as an additional income source, especially during the harvest season.

Fr. Eddie Panlilio, a former governor of Pampanga and the owner of the 2.5-hectare Eden Organic and Livestock Farm, thanked DA and other partner agencies for the assistance they received.

“Kami po dito sa DA ay talagang nandito para suportahan kayo. Marami pa po ang puwede naming maitulong sa inyo lalo na po in terms of financing (We at DA, are here to support you. There are a lot of things that we can do to help you, especially in terms of financing),” Rodriguez said in social media post.

DA Regional Technical Director Eduardo L. Lapuz, Jr. said their department always has its doors open to attend to the needs of the farmers and to give assistance within its resources.

Aside from this province, he said the DA has also granted a facility and processing equipment to a farmer’s cooperative in Barangay Corazon, Concepcion, Tarlac that will benefit some 64 calamansi farmers.

He said the Concepcion Calamansi and Rice Producers Cooperative is now commercially processing quality calamansi juice. (PNA)