The Amolong Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (AMFACO) in the municipality of Paracelis, in Mountain Province has expanded its poultry venture, procuring 100 additional Ready-to-Lay (RTL) chickens on February 14, 2025.
This purchase worth Php 46,500 supplements the initial stock provided by the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), bringing the cooperative’s total poultry inventory to 200.
To ensure the quality of the newly-acquired stocks, the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist – Paracelis conducted an inspection at the municipal grounds before the chickens were transported to the farm site. This initiative aligns with AMFACO’s long-term goal of establishing a sustainable poultry business with at least 1,000 head — a vision formulated during their Business Model Canvas (BMC) session last year.
The cooperative financed the purchase through a Livelihood Loan Assistance Program, facilitated by the Municipal Cooperatives & Development Office of the Local Government of Paracelis. By expanding their poultry stocks, AMFACO aims to maximize the housing space, cages, and labor resources provided by the DA-SAAD Program for better efficiency and profitability.
Egg-laying poultry offers numerous benefits to AMFACO farmers. Eggs are a highly nutritious and readily marketable food source, providing a consistent income stream. Members can benefit from a stable income, nutritional security, and relatively low start-up costs compared to larger livestock.
Potential business ideas within the community include direct egg sales at local markets, to restaurants, or directly to consumers. Additionally, farmers can explore processed egg products such as hard-boiled eggs or salted eggs. With increased production, poultry feed sales and the sale of chicken manure as organic fertilizer become viable options. Once the laying hens stop producing eggs efficiently, they can be sold as meat, further diversifying income.
“Napintas daytoy nga SAAD Program, ket sapay kuma ta agtul-tuloy iti suporta nga ited da tapnu daytoy agrugrugi nga cooperative mi ket adda pay pagbalinan na. Salamat SAAD,” expressed AMFACO Manager Amor Sumalag.
(This program is great. We hope that the Program will continue to assist us so that our starting cooperative will develop. Thank you, SAAD.)
The cooperative’s expansion initiative shows their sense of ownership towards the project which is crucial when it comes to maintenance and sustainability. This action marks another step towards AMFACO’s commitment to self-sufficiency and economic growth, reinforcing their dedication to developing a thriving poultry business in the municipality. ###
