₱7.5-M feed mill facility to boost Antique’s livestock sector

The ₱7.5-million feed mill project of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) being constructed in Brgy. Igdalaquit, Sibalom, Antique is seen to ease the burden of the animal raisers who have long been complaining about the high costs of commercial feeds resulting in their meager income and profit.

Tentatively scheduled to operate starting February 2021, the BAI-funded feed mill facility that is diesel and electrically-driven can mill up to eight tons of corn per day.

The feed mill project includes the construction of a warehouse, and the provision and installation of a pneumatic hammer mill, horizontal feed mixer, micromixer, storage bin, flat conveyor, bucket elevator, weighing bucket, sack sealer, weighing scale, solar perimeter and warehouse lights.

“We have included in our 2021 budget the funds for the procurement of yellow corn from the local farmers of Sibalom and San Remigio. With this feed mill, we can reduce the price of animal feeds by 30 percent of the price of commercial feeds being sold by private traders at ₱1,300 to ₱1,500 per sack,” said Sibalom municipal agriculturist Albert G. Estoya.

Not only the livestock raisers can benefit from the project since the feed mill will also be advantageous to the corn growers who are only earning ₱10 for every kilogram of fresh corn they sell to private millers.

“This feed mill project realized through the Biyaheng Bukid held in Hamtic last 2017 will help solve the problems of our corn and livestock farmers. Based on our initial discussions with the Sibalom Livestock and Poultry Raisers Association or SILPRA, we are planning to buy fresh corn produce of the local farmers at ₱16 to ₱17 per kilogram,” said Estoya.

He is also pushing for the expansion of corn areas in Antique to maximize the utilization of the feed mill and to meet the increasing demand for hogs particularly in the National Capital Region where the SILPRA has been marketing at least 650 heads of hogs weekly since July.

With 450 current members, SILPRA, founded in 2018 with 50 farmers, is setting the competitive price of live hogs at ₱110 per kilogram.

“Once maka set kita sang price, nagalagas man ang private traders sang aton presyohanay kag kung wala sila sang mabakal nga baboy, naga pataas pa guid sila sang buying price. With that, maka benepisyo guid ang mga mangunguma kung naging competitive ang presyohanay sang pamaklanay sang baboy,” added Estoya.

The ₱6-million modernization fund for the Livestock Oksyon Market (LOM) in Sibalom through the DA and Japan’s 2KR project enables faster and more convenient consolidation of hogs procured by SILPRA from the municipalities of Sibalom, San Remigio, Hamtic, Barbaza Belison, Bugasong, Tibiao, and Culasi.

Moreover, Estoya said that these DA projects are meant to increase the animal inventory in the province and to enable higher productivity among livestock growers.

“Ginapasalamatan ko guid ang DA, kag BAI sa sini nga mga proyekto. Apang ginapangayo ko lang daad nga mahatagan kami sang 10-wheeler hauling truck para magamit sa pagdala sang amon baboy sa Iloilo kay naga bayad kami sang renta nga ₱30,000 kada trip. If DA could provide us with the hauling truck and operating capital, maka siguro guid kami nga sa winning side pirm ang mga mangunguma kay masiguro nga mataas ang presyo sang baboy kag madugangan ang kita nila,” Estoya said. (Sheila Mae H. Toreno/DA-RAFIS-6/Photo by Sibalom LGU)