Philippines’ Department of Agriculture opens mung bean packaging facility in Isabela

PHILIPPINES – The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) has officially opened a ₱3 million (US$52,300) mung bean packaging facility in Cabatuan, Isabela.

Developed under the High-Value Crops Development Program, the facility is expected to benefit around 180 farmers in the region who grow mung beans during the dry cropping season.

Located in Barangay Saranay, the facility marks a significant investment in post-harvest infrastructure, which will improve product quality, extend shelf life, and create access to wider markets for local producers.

It is part of the government’s broader efforts to modernize agricultural processing and enhance regional food security.

The inauguration was led by the DA-Regional Field Office 2 (DA-RFO2) in collaboration with local government units and farmer cooperatives.

Paul Buenavista, a representative of DA-RFO2, emphasized the project’s long-term value, “With this programme, local farmers will have more options to increase their output, add value to their harvests, and reach new markets.”

The DA also distributed agricultural inputs to various farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) from the Cagayan Valley to support the facility’s launch.

These included 3,200kg of mung bean seeds and 320 litres of carrageenan plant growth promoter.

The Flow of Pariir Agriculture Cooperative received support worth ₱736,000 (US$12,863.54), while other groups, such as the Tumauini Federation of National and Communal Irrigators Association and the Farmers of Luna Agriculture Cooperative, also received essential supplies.

A government spokesperson emphasized the role of inter-agency and community collaboration in transforming smallholder agriculture, noting that the vision for the Flow of Pariir Cooperative is to evolve into a nationally recognized leader in mung bean production and packaging.

This investment comes amid a wave of growth in the Philippines’ broader packaging and agri-processing sector.

In recent years, the government and private sector have launched various initiatives to enhance post-harvest handling and packaging infrastructure.

Notably, in 2023, the Davao Region inaugurated a ₱20 million (US$0.35m) cacao processing and packaging hub, which aims to boost exports of value-added chocolate products.

Similarly, agri-tech firms have begun partnering with cooperatives in Mindanao to develop vacuum packaging lines for durian and other tropical fruits bound for international markets.

Together, these developments reflect the Philippines’ increasing focus on modernizing agri-packaging to unlock rural development and improve competitiveness in global agricultural trade.

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