CATANDUANES, May 2, 2022 – The Balatohan Chicken Grower Association (BCGA) earned a sum of Php 28,047.00 from selling fresh eggs for one cycle of the Native Chicken Production and Feeds Project from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program. The poultry project aims to provide support to the farmers, ultimately through a chicken egg production enterprise.

In August 2021, the 20-member association received Php 562,000.00 worth of agricultural inputs that included native chickens – Kabir (400 head), laminated sacks (40pcs), chicken feeds – layer (120 bags), chicken feeds – grower (80 bags), 1ft. chicken feeders (80pcs), 1 gallon chicken drinkers (80pcs), and plastic screens/nets (8 rolls).

In November 2021, they started harvesting fresh eggs from the project. The farmers manage their livestock production in a privately owned 100 square meter (sqm) lot which was lent to them by a generous barangay resident. As an act of gratitude, the association agreed to give the landowner a tray of eggs every two weeks.

However, climate adaptation diseases such as colds and chicken flu caused an estimated 40% mortality of the stock population, which halted the farmers’ activity in November. This resulted in low earnings for the month’s production. In response, the farmers isolated the healthy chickens to avoid further infection while closely monitoring the infected ones.

Recovering from the slight bump in the following months, they were able to sell more eggs and make up for their initial sales amount. The group sells eggs per piece, which costs Php 6.00 per small, Php 7.00 for medium, and Php 8.00 for large. Furthermore, the group also decided to sell eggs in trays valued at Php 150.00 for small, Php 165.00 for medium, and Php 180.00 for large (Table 1).

Table 1. BCGA’S updated income from November 2021- April 2022

The eggs are sold around the barangay and through online platforms. As agreed, the income from their products goes to the association’s circulating fund and a portion of it is allotted for repairs and construction of chicken houses and procurement of incubators.

Furthermore, the association plans to increase its income by value addition such as making and selling puto flan, salted eggs, pickled eggs, and leche flan. These products were introduced to them in a training on Poultry Production and Product Development last October 1, 2021, through the DA-SAAD RPMSO in coordination with PPMO Catanduanes.

On behalf of the association, BCGA’s president Ms. Thelma Todoc extended her gratitude to the program and promised to give importance and make a full effort to sustain the project that was entrusted to them. ###

Writer: Jovinel M. Gianan- SAAD PPMSO Information Officer

Source: Melrose B. Buetre, SAAD Catanduanes Provincial Coordinator

Photo Source: Jovinel M. Gianan- SAAD PPMSO Information Officer