PALUAN, OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, June 26, 2021 – The Paluenos Chicken Laying Farmers Association (PaCLayFA) prepared for another wave of Ready-to-Lay (RTL) Chicken Production from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program by investing materials for housing expansion.
PaCLayFA with 29 members is expected to receive another set of 288 RTL chicken from SAAD in July. As part of capability and accountability building, the program and the beneficiaries agreed that the association’s counterpart is to provide chicken cages and expand their RTL housing.
In this light, the association invested to purchase a welding machine for housing maintenance and development. The fund used for said purchase came from the association’s savings in compliance with the agreed “counterpart” effort from the beneficiaries.
According to Lilibeth Gonzales, chairperson of PaCLayFA, the welding machine will greatly reduce the cost of building additional cages, saving almost Php 300 for the rental fee and Php 600-800 per day for labor.
Additionally, since welding activities may be occasional, the group also plans to provide welding rental services primarily to members of the association with lower fees.
Meanwhile, customers in need of welding services outside their association will also be entertained to increase the group’s income, utilizing skilled welders in their group.
In May, the association produced 6,730 pieces of eggs and acquired earnings amounting to Php 42,254 in 30 days. This earning sets the group’s expansion plan in motion.
Since the awarding of the first set of RTL chickens in October 2020, PaCLayFA produced an average of 6,000 to 7,000 pieces of eggs monthly. Eggs are being sold in the Paluan Local Market.
The current RTL housing measures 4×12 square meters (sqm) and houses 288 chickens. After the expansion, the housing will be 7×18 square meters which will house 576 chickens.
The expansion of the RTL housing and the building of additional cages are still ongoing. Members of the association join hands in doing needed construction and preparation.
The association hopes to have their egg production doubled from 6,000-7,000 eggs per month to 12,000-14,000 eggs one to two months after the expansion is completed, projecting a double gross sales up to Php 80,000-85,000.
Expecting steady finances and savings for the association, the group moves forward through loaning funds to their members to help with their finances. ###
Writer: Dianne Francis A. Sy, SAAD Information Officer I
Source: Jhonzell G. Panganiban, SAAD Area Coordinator – Paluan
