Antique: A young farmer in Antique is hoping to boost the production of his spiced vinegar, made of nipa (palm) with hot chili peppers and garlic, with his PHP300,000 prize from a national competition. 'The towns of Pandan and Belison used to produce the nipa vinegar. But it is only in Bugasong where it was sustained and passed on to the present generation,' Geneco Mabasa, the agri-entrepreneur who developed the Nipa Kuriit product, said in an interview on Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Mabasa was one of the winners of the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) national competition of the Department of Agriculture, limited to participants aged 18 to 30 years, for the Startup Food Processing category. 'I am grateful that the Nipa Kuriit received a grant that I could utilize in building a manufacturing facility that would open the door for our nationwide distribution,' Mabasa said.
He plans to use a portion of the prize to acquire additional equipment for more efficient production and to ensure food safety standards. Currently, he has limited space for production because it is being done at home.
'I started the production of the spiced vinegar only last year with gross sales of PHP15,000 per month,' Mabasa said. As the product gradually penetrates the market, his gross sales also increased to PHP116,000 per month.
