September 15, 2023
By Melody Mendoza Aguiba
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will put up a Livestock Animal Registry (LAR) as part of ensuring legitimate livestock farmers get the benefit from DA programs and in order to carry out repopulation amid diseases like the African swine fever (ASF) that brought farmers huge losses.
DA Undersecretary Deogracias Victor B. Savellano told the general assembly of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc.(NATFED) that DA will partner with the private sector in establishing the LAR.
“This will identify how many and where are the different farm animals and to whom should the government give any form of subsidy from funds earmarked by the government.”
DA’s partnership with the private sector will also ensure accurate industry data. This will ensure industry leaders will be able to come up with best business decisions.
“Philippine Statistics Authority reports there are 10.2 Million Pigs. But in fact it could be just around 7.5-8 million if industry stakeholders said the industry lost around 40% from African Swine Fever from 2019,” Savellano said.
DA will also study ways to help livestock farmers cut costs of farm inputs – feed ingredients and livestock genetics (superior breed of piglets, calves, chicks). The aim is to ease farmers’ burden on these costs that represent the sizable 70% of producing meat, milk, and egg.
Indemnification system will further be improved to aid livestock owners who lost from ASF and other diseases.
Savellano said DA will also be transferring to farmers the technology that have long been developed in the country’s state universities and colleges (SUC). This may include vaccines and other modern farming systems and technologies that will be adopted in partnership with the Department of Science & Technology.
“The concern of neglect in our agriculture for decades (as aptly described by our (DA Secretary President BongBong Marcos) should be resolved. One of the solutions is to closely study particular farm inputs in livestock production,” said Savellano.
Tax reductions suited to the livestock sector will also be considred.
A statement released by the Department of Budget and Management indicated that out of the proposed P197.84 billion budget of DA, the National Livestock Program will get a share of P4.3 billion. Also, based on the proposed budget, P2.22 billion will be allotted for the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion program (INSPIRE).
DA’s thrust is to repopulate hogs amidst the continuing threat of ASF. DA will ensure that the vaccine under trial will be proven safe and effective. The vaccine should follow all universally acceptable protocols.
These will be implemented by DA:
1. Promotion in the rural barangay levels of the propagation of different kinds of farm animals. Such operations should follow strict biosecurity practices. Genetic improvement will be introduced for profitability and sustainability.
“Government may help farmers in market identification for small farm holds, semi and commercial scale farms. It will give direction to livestock farmers on how they can reach their target market. DA will help them sell direct to retailers and end consumers in order to gain greater margin.
- DA will curb all kinds of smuggling, hoarding and profiteering.
“We will find ways to produce more and lessen importations of pork and other food animal products. We will consult livestock stakeholders on how much each sector can locally produce. We will study the minimal quantity the private sector and government will import in order to stabilize consumer market prices and make animal protein source products affordable to consumers.”
- The focus for the DA Livestock Group will 1) Produce more livestock and products locally in large volumes, (2) Balance local production with minimal importation (3 Ensure enticing profit margin for livestock farmers, creating more livelihood and jobs.
“Let us campaign for more production– cook more and eat more pork from 10.7- 11 kilos per capita consumption to about 14-15 kilos in the coming years towards BBM- Big Boost for Meat Production.”
The livestock industry has been pushing for a bigger budget considering that poultry and livestock contribute 30% of the entire agriculture revenue. In budget, it gets only around 3-4%.
Savellano committed to holding regular consulations with industry leaders “in order to hear directly from your end, where and how your government under the PBBM Administration can fully support the food security goal .”
PHOTO: DA Undersecretary Deogracias Victor B. Savellano (Left) and Alfred Ng, National Federation of Hog Farmers vice chairman
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