The National Dairy Authority (NDA) has granted a PHP 16-million loan to the Northern Mindanao Federation of Dairy Cooperatives (NMFDC) to support its transition to renewable energy and modernize its processing facilities, as reported by the Philippine News Agency.

According to NMFDC plant manager Wilma Buray, the funding will help power the federation’s daily operations and finance equipment upgrades aimed at improving product quality and extending shelf life. She said the cooperative’s new retort facility, scheduled for installation on Nov. 20 at its plant in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental, will be a major boost to its operations.

“The new facility will allow our products to have a longer shelf life of up to six months, which will significantly enhance our production and market reach,” Buray said.

The NMFDC, producer of the well-known “Highland Fresh” milk brand, holds PHP100 million in total assets and produces around 55,000 liters of fresh milk each month. The federation also supplies the Department of Education and the Department of Social Welfare and Development for their milk feeding programs which are aimed at reducing child malnutrition.

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