DTI Guimaras Launches Mushroom Processing Facility for Farmers

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Guimaras has launched its first Shared Service Facility (SSF) of 2025, aimed at boosting mushroom processing capabilities for the Avila Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative (AFARCO) in Brgy. Avila, Buenavista, Guimaras.

The ceremonial turnover of the facility on June 23 was led by DTI Guimaras Officer-in-Charge Juvy Benliro, alongside Vice Mayor Cyril Beltran, Brgy. Captain Aster Brian Hiponia, AFARCO Chairman Alfredo Ferrer, Business Manager Teresita Martinez, and members of the cooperative.

The SSF includes specialized food-grade machinery for cleaning, slicing, dehydrating, and packaging oyster mushrooms, designed to improve productivity and maintain consistent product quality.

“This intervention equips our local farmers with the tools they need to meet market demand while reducing postharvest losses,” Benliro said during the launch.

AFARCO, a registered Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ARBO), was established in 2016 and has since diversified its agricultural operations, with mushroom cultivation as a key enterprise.

The cooperative benefits from the favorable agro-climatic conditions in Brgy. Avila, making it an ideal site for mushroom production and agri-processing expansion.

With the SSF, AFARCO expects to enhance its production capacity, offer value-added mushroom products, and generate more income for its farmer-members.

The Shared Service Facility Project is a flagship DTI initiative that supports micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by addressing technology gaps and promoting shared-use of advanced processing equipment.

“This project not only upgrades processing capability but also aligns with our push for inclusive innovation and stronger agricultural value chains,” Benliro added.

The SSF initiative in Guimaras reinforces DTI’s goal to spur rural enterprise development and support community-based agri-processing ventures across the province.