The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Lanao del Norte, in coordination with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), conducted a two-day activity on productivity development and skills training on banana flour in Brgy. Bualan, Tubod, Lanao del Norte last June 1-2, 2017.

Among the participants are food processors of Bualan ARC Coop (BARCOCO), where Sylvia Aguhob of the Food Technology Department of Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City, shared her expertise following the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform (CARP) and the Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development (MinSAAD) Programs.

During the first day, the Aguhob discussed the basic Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to remind processors about the best practices in manufacturing a product, and running through the process in making the banana flour. The following day, participants made banana catsup out of the banana flour and were able to make 8 kilos of banana catsup out of the 10 kilogram (kg) mixture.

The cooperative Chairman, Mr. Isidro L. Carin, also shared his experiences way back in year 2000 when they started with no building and where Ms. Aguhob was their trainer in making banana catsup. Seventeen (17) years later, they now have a processing plant.

Ms. Aguhob, collected samples of the banana catsup and flour for the nutritional facts testing at their Laboratory in Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City.