DA Expands Cost-Saving Feed Program to W. Visayas

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to expand its Protein-Enriched Copra Meal (PECM) commercialization project to Western Visayas to support the region’s swine and poultry industries.

DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said PECM, a locally developed feed ingredient, offers a cost-effective alternative to imported soybean meal, which has become more expensive due to global supply chain disruptions.

PECM is made from copra meal, a coconut farming by-product, and is enriched to provide protein levels comparable to soybean meal.

The University of the Philippines-Los Baños Biotech Center noted that PECM could reduce feed production costs by PHP 0.90 to PHP 2.00 per kilogram compared to conventional feeds.

“The program not only helps reduce feed costs but also supports the local economy by creating markets for coconut by-products, which are often underutilized,” Laurel explained.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported a 22.7 percent decline in hog production in Western Visayas in 2023, dropping to 158,471 metric tons from 205,040 metric tons in 2022.

In contrast, other livestock categories showed growth in the same year.

Carabao production rose by 3.9 percent to 17,159 metric tons, while cattle production saw a slight increase of 0.1 percent, reaching 19,007 metric tons. Goat production jumped 10.5 percent to 7,105 metric tons from 6,428 metric tons in 2022.

Poultry production also increased in 2023. Chicken production grew by 4.8 percent to 131,926 metric tons, while chicken egg production rose 7.9 percent to 40,015 metric tons.

However, duck production declined by 1.9 percent, totaling 2,722 metric tons, while duck egg production dropped 5.4 percent to 4,306 metric tons, a decrease of 245 metric tons compared to 2022.

The PECM project was launched in 2022 in response to supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. It was initially implemented in CALABARZON and SOCCSKSARGEN.

The DA aims to replicate the program’s success in Western Visayas by helping farmers cut costs and promoting the use of underutilized coconut by-products.