SORSOGON, January 5, 2022 – New poultry raisers from Matnog and Sta Magdalena earn an initial Php 19,159 after starting a free-range chicken egg production project from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program covering the months of November and December 2021.

In August 2021, the Hidhid Farmers’ Association in Matnog and the San Eugenio and Animal Farmers’ Association (SEAFA) in Sta. Magdalena received 400 free-range Kabir chickens each from the Free-range Chicken Production Project.

The SAAD team administered biologics to prevent chicken respiratory diseases while the associations purchased additional biologics and rice bran that serves as feed alternative sourced from the association’s fund.

Meanwhile, the SEAFA was divided into four (4) groups rearing 100 chickens per group. The chickens are raised in their respective communal gardens measuring 192 square meters (sqm) for group 1, 72sqm for group 2, 105sqm for group 3, and 110sqm for group 4.

After three months of management, the chickens started to lay eggs. According to SEAFA President Ronaldo Favor, their group sold eggs sorted as medium, large, and extra-large sizes with a price range of Php 5-7/piece (pc). Trays of eggs are also sold at Php 180-210.

Table 1. SEAFA’s Chicken Egg Production as of December 2021

The eggs harvested were sold within the neighborhood at barangay San Eugenio in Sta. Magdalena.

In a span of two months, the association has accumulated an initial income of Php 10,628.

To sustain their chicken egg production enterprise, the association plans to make salted egg, leche flan, and pickled egg as their value-adding products.

“Dapat mapalago pa an saamong negosyo. Dai pwede mawara an mga manok para pag-abot nin panahon, may kaliwan sinda. Pwede pa kami makadagdag nin ibebenta na hali sa bunay nin manok irog sin itlog maalat, leche flan asin pickled egg. Kami ay nagpapasalamat sa SAAD dahil kun wara sinda para sa pag tabang, wara man ang oportunidad na ini,” Favor said.

(Our enterprise must grow. We can’t lose these chickens so when the time comes, they will have a replacement from our own stocks. We can also add some products from the chicken eggs like salted egg, leche flan, and pickled egg. We are thankful to SAAD because without their help, there is also no opportunity like this.)

In Matnog, the Hidhid Farmers’ Association is also generating income from their egg production managed in a 1,000sqm communal area.

They collected at least 1,800pcs of chicken eggs and sold them at Php 180-200/tray (30pcs) from November to December 2021.

As of December 31, 2021, the association earned an initial income of Php 9,000, selling 60 trays containing 30pcs eggs, covering the months of November-December.

According to Annabelle Dioleta, a 20-year-old student and farmer-member of the Hidhid FA, the group intends to grow their earnings so that they can venture into value-adding products such as puto flan and salted egg in addition to their enterprise.

“Bilang isang estudyante, malaking tulong po sa akin ang pagiging magsasaka sa aming barangay. Nakakatulong din ang aming asosasyon sa aming mga ka-barangay na magbenta sa kanila ng mga itlog na mabibili sa mababang presyo lamang kaya maraming salamat po talaga sa SAAD Program,” she added.

(As a student, it is a big help being a farmer in our barangay. Our association also helps our neighbors by selling eggs that can be bought at a cheaper price, so we are really thankful to the SAAD Program.)

To grasp more knowledge in proper management and raising of free-range chicken, both associations attended the DA-SAAD’s Training on Poultry Production and Product Development conducted from November 16 to 18, 2021. ###

Writer: Pauline Trixia D. Borja, SAAD Program Sorsogon Information Officer

Photos: Sta Magdalena and Matnog farmers

Sources:

Mary Rose Detera, SAAD Program Sorsogon Provincial Coordinator

Arnel Venus, SAAD Program Sorsogon Area Coordinator of Matnog

Aizel Grefalda, SAAD Program Sorsogon Area Coordinator of Sta Magdalena