Senator Cynthia Villar has underscored the need to help the farmers, saying agricultural outputs such as poultry and eggs are “vital in food security, sustainability, and poverty alleviation.
Speaking during a gathering of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UMBRA) and the Philippine Egg Board Association in Quezon City last March 6, Villar stressed that the country’s poultry industry has been a major contributor to the economy.
She said the Philippine broiler industry is composed of 20 percent small farms and 80 percent commercial –scale arms, with 588 registered poultry farms and approximately 175 meat processors.
Villar noted that poultry farming in the Philippines was projected to have a bright future.
“Our total chicken inventory is composed of native/improved chicken- 43.3 percent, broiler chicken- 34.5 percent share, and layer chicken with 22.2 percent share,” she said.
The highest chicken inventory was noted in Central Luzon with 33.68 million birds, followed by CALABARZON with 27.32 million birds and Northern Mindanao with 25.87 million birds.
“These 3 regions accounted for 43.4 percent share to the country’s total chicken inventory. Western Visayas has the highest 12.91 million birds which are native/improved variety.”
Central Luzon reported the highest inventory of broiler chicken with 18.48 million birds, while CALABARZON had the highest layer chicken stocks with 16.35 million birds.
“Improved Genetics and Breeding, Good Farm Management, Excellent Nutrition, Feeding and an effective biosecurity with complete vaccination program will prevent highly contagious diseases from
entering the farm, reduce mortality and increase the overall health of poultry sector,” said Villar, chairperson of the Senate Agriculture and Food committee.
To further boost the poultry industry, the senator cited the livestock, poultry and dairy bill which seeks to strengthen the livestock industry by promoting its development, protection and regulatory functions.
She said a twin bill- the Corn Industry Development Bill, is at the final stage at the Senate.
The measure intends to improve the availability, profitability and development of corn farming.
Villar said corn in animal feeds go up to as high as 60 percent for chicken and pigs.
“Our corn requirement for livestock and poultry feeds is imported. We have to increase production and lower cost of inputs to make our farmers earn more and be competitive,” she said.