CATANDUANES, August 15, 2023 – Thirty (30) San Miguel poultry raisers accumulated Php 112k from selling fresh chicken eggs through the Poultry Production Project of Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program’s Phase 1.

Originally organized in March 2022, the Kilikilihan Poultry Raisers Association (KPRA) consists of 30 members from Barangay Kilikilihan in San Miguel, Catanduanes. The group was registered under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through the assistance of the Provincial Program Management Support Office (PPMSO) in Catanduanes.

Before becoming beneficiaries of the program, KPRA members depended on their primary individual income sources; sari-sari stores, mani-pedi services, construction and labor services, and vegetable farming.

Moving forward, Php 377k worth of poultry-related interventions were handed to the group in August 2022 which included Ready-to-Lay (RTL) chicken head, laminated sacks, chicken feeds, cages, egg trays, scales, and animal drugs. This was given after completing the training on Poultry Production and Enterprise Establishment in the same year. 

KPRA’s Chicken Production

The group maintains their chicken production in a combined 80 square-meter (sq.m) area owned by the members. Due to the unavailability of a wider communal area, the group strategically divided the stocks and other materials and sustained the group’s project in two lots.

Valued at Php 7.00 for small, Php 7.50 for medium, Php 8.00 for large, Php 8.50 for XL, and Php 9.00 for jumbo sizes, the group was able to record a revenue of Php 112,350.00 from selling fresh chicken eggs from August 2022 to June 2023. According to the group, the eggs were displayed in their own stores and sold in their barangay to walk-in customers.

Table 1: KPRA sales report

According to the members, the project was able to help them provide for their families’ needs including their children’s educational expenses. KRPA Treasurer, Angelica Soriao was one of those who recalled her experience upon receiving the project. “Mabalos sa SAAD natawan kami kaining proyekto. Maski masakit sa puon, padagos sana. Naka-ahon man sa paghingoha. Dahil uya natuwang kami na an samuyang mga bakanteng oras dai nasayang kundi ga kita pa,” expressed Ms. Soriao.

(Thank you, SAAD for entrusting us with this project. There were difficulties when we started handling this project but we were able to persevere and overcome these challenges. Our past-time became more productive and profitable at the same time.)

Currently, the association is preparing their new poultry house as new sets of chicken-layers are on its way through the money they gained from selling eggs. Moreover, the group has already been endorsed to the Local Government Unit and the Municipal Agriculture Office of San Miguel for wider linkages and more agri-business opportunities. ###

Writer: Jovinel M. Gianan, DA-SAAD Bicol Information Officer