The Department of Agriculture regional office in Caraga Region (DA-13) handed over four units of All Weather Type Dryers to members of the Fatima Ibuan Farmers Workers Association, Inc. (FIFWA), a group of coffee growers in Barangay Ibuan, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.

The four dryers worth PHP423,245 and will directly benefit the 52 members of FIFWA and the other coffee farmers in the area. The facilities were turned over on Tuesday by DA-13 Regional Executive Director Ricardo Oñate Jr. together with the other top officials of the agency.

In an interview on Wednesday, FIFWA chair Justiniano Arogancia narrated how the equipment could improve their lives. “These dryers will improve the quality of our coffee beans. Quality is very important for us, especially in marketing our products,” he said.

He said their organization tills around 70 hectares of coffee. In a statement on Wednesday, DA-13 said the all-weather dryers are elevated to keep the coffee beans being dried from touching the ground.

“The dryers will also reduce the drying time of coffee beans which can also affect the quality. High quality also commands a higher price,” DA-13 said in a statement.

It added that for this year, a total of 12 units of all-weather dryers for coffee beans were already handed over to the different farmers’ groups in Agusan del Norte. (PNA)