Cooperative admissions waitlist grows as early harvest draws new applicants

The Cooperative Council in San Vicente reported this week that its waitlist for new member-farms has grown to 47 applicants, up from 31 at the start of the season. The surge follows the early rains, which produced stronger-than-expected yields in the eastern districts and drew interest from smallholders who had previously stayed outside the cooperative system.

Council president Marta Ibarra said the admissions process, which includes a review of land-registration documents and a trial harvest period, will continue at its usual pace. 'We do not rush membership,' she said. 'The harvest is early, but the trust between farms is built slowly.'