Libertad eyed as ‘balut’ capital in Antique with DA’s Itik-Pinas project

The Municipality of Libertad is seeking to become the “balut-making” capital of Antique after the Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas turned over 1,800 heads of ducks to the members of Sitio San Juan Farmers Association (FA) in Brgy. San Roque on Oct. 9.

“Manami ang inyo lugar diri suitable for duck raising kay indi polluted ang tubig,” said Regional Executive Director Remelyn R. Recoter.

Recoter said farmers in Northern Antique have sufficient source of poultry feeds, thus, Libertad became one of the pilot beneficiaries of the Itik-Pinas project in the region.

mayor Mary Jean N. Te urged the 30 farmer-recipients to provide the necessary care and management to the poultry project so that the other 85 FA members can also benefit from the intervention.

The first batch of farmer-recipients who received 60 ducks each shall return the same number of heads to the association for the next in line beneficiaries, according to Glenn Mariano, DA Livestock Program Coordinator.

Mariano said “this Itik Pinas is a breeder strain developed through a joint research project of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, and the Bureau of Animal Industry’s National Swine and Poultry Research and Development Center in Tiaong, Quezon.”

Western Visayas allotted ₱1.2 million for the project this year.

The DA Livestock Program had also distributed 1,800 ducks recently to the members of Kilusang Pagbabago in Buenavista and Jordan, Guimaras. (Sheila Mae H. Toreno/DA-RAFIS 6)/ Photos: DA 6 Livestock Program