Del Mar Shellcraft Multi-Purpose Cooperative is registered with the National Coconut Farmers Registry System (NCFRS). It is a social enterprise that aims to support the members and the folks of Pagudpud Ilocos Norte through the sustainable design of locally sourced materials, particularly coco shells, made into coco shell handicrafts and souvenirs. It is one of the seven coconut farmer cooperatives in the municipality of Pagudpud province of Ilocos Norte. Del Mar Shellcraft Multi-Purpose Cooperative exhibited significant development or changes with the implementation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) in its Coconut Farmers Organization and Development Through Cooperatives (COCOFARMCOOP) Program.
One significant change according to the chairperson of the cooperative Ms. Elizabeth Benemerito happened after the seminar on Basic Bookkeeping conducted by the Cooperative Development Authority last June 15 and 16, 2023 held at the Arinaya Beach Resort, Brgy. Saud, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. Ms. Benemerito claimed that after attending the seminar, they learned how to record every transaction of the cooperative. She said that learnings earned during the training were applied and they now have very realistic, updated, and accurate records or books of accounts.
With the CFIDP COCOFARM COOP Program, the cooperative became a recipient of a government program. The chairperson and one coop member also attended the 45-day training conducted by TESDA last November-December 2022 regarding agricultural crop production. The cooperative also became a partner of the Agricultural Training Institute in their demo program for coconut farmers. The cooperative is waiting for another big project, the integrated VCO processing and dairy farming which consists of a Virgin coconut oil (VCO) processing building worth Eleven Million Pesos (PhP 11M) and machinery worth Twelve Million Pesos (PhP 12,000,000.00). Said project was validated by the CFIDP implementing agencies such as PhilMech, PCA, DTI, CDA, LBP, and DPWH last August 23, 2023.
The cooperative started in 2008 as a community of shell gatherers from Saud Beach, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte who make fashion accessories and various souvenir items and sell them to tourists. With their dream of developing their product from the town’s raw materials, nowadays, the cooperative is focusing on making coco shell handicrafts made up of coconut waste. The cooperative helps its members by training them in making coco shell handicraft items. The cooperative activities also benefit the community by gradually transitioning to environmentally friendly goods. With the CFIDP COCOFARMCOOP Program, the cooperative has now the ability to grow and flourish after 15 years.
