To help local farmers turn overproduction into profit, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Tarlac recently trained 20 members of the Baquero Sur Farmers Agriculture Cooperative on eggplant processing techniques that can create new income streams.

Held under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), the training aimed to transform excess eggplant harvests into value-added products and help cooperative members sustain their livelihood during off-season periods.

DTI Trade-Industry Development Specialist Krizia Dela Cruz encouraged participants to make the most of the training. “May the participants enrich the learning from the activity, as this may spark a new livelihood for the cooperative,” she said.

The hands-on session was led by food processing resource expert Danilo Gacusan, who demonstrated how to turn eggplants into innovative food items such as moussaka, burger patties, finger fries, eggplant balls, and pickles. He also covered food safety, costing, and pricing to guide participants in setting up small-scale food businesses.

Liolita Mañalac, one of the participants, shared that the training came at the right time. “We extend our thanks to DTI-CARP, as we are unsure of what we can do with our overproduction. With this activity, we gained new knowledge and skills. This will help not only our cooperative, but also our members—a new business opportunity for them,” she said.

DTI Tarlac affirmed its continued support for the cooperative, which will be among the featured participants in the upcoming Regional CARP Trade Fair set for the fourth quarter of the year.