LAMUT, Ifugao – The Department of Trade and Industry-Lamut Negosyo Center and Municipal Agriculture Office organized a two-day skills training on cacao fossilization and briquetting for a grower’s group.
The team of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University taught members of the Cacao Growers and Processors Association of Lamut (CGPAL) on how to make fossilized cacao leaves, cacao pods charcoal briquettes, and cacao candies out of the drippings of cacao wet beans.
PhilMech also left sample demo materials and promised to bring more briquette molders and design plans for the cacao drying facility for the cacao growers and processors.
CGPAL Vice Pre-sident Christopher Tucpi expressed gratitude for the training where they learned not only to maximize the use of the cacao, but also zero waste management.
“Pwede nating mapakinabangan ang malalapad na dahon ng cacao by fossilizing and making these into decorations. Napra-practice rin natin ang zero waste management kung tayo’y nagpro-process ng bunga ng cacao na imbes na itapon ‘yung pods ay pwedeng gawing charcoal briquette at pwede pang ibenta,” Tucpi said.
The Love Nature Farm, which has cacao plantation and produces cacao products, is a proof the cacao industry in the province has a big business potential. – Florida B. Robles
