DA sees higher income for Region 8 farmers from duck raising

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 4 (PNA) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office here and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) have set aside Php 3.5 million to promote duck raising in Eastern Visayas.

Dubbed as Duck Gene Pool Project, its main component is to rehabilitate animal houses in an experiment station in Babatngon, Leyte. But the government will also acquire incubators and hatchers for production support.

These animal houses were badly damaged when super typhoon Yolanda battered central Philippines nearly three years ago.

The BAI will also provide the ducks for raising and dispersal - 200 Philippine Mallard Ducks, 100 Muscovy Ducks and 200 Guinea Fowls.

The DA, on the other hand, will shoulder the cost of duck feeds, maintenance, and the salary of caretakers.

The project will raise the income of farmers and maintain and preserve the native breeds of the ducks, hence providing additional nutrients to consumers in the region, said Emirita Filamor, superintendent of state-run experiment station in Babatngon town.

“The return of investment is assured after five months where ducks would start laying eggs. Also, farmers need not to worry about buying commercial feeds since feeds are readily available within the farm,” Filamor said.

The government will start the dispersal of ducks to farmer beneficiaries in different provinces next year.

Duck raising, according to the DA’s website, is a lucrative livestock industry in the country because of its egg. Incubated duck’s egg is being boiled to make a “balut,” a common street food in Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia.

DA tagged the Babatngon facility as demonstration farm considering the abundant supplies of freshwater snails, which make good duck food. The town is about 22 kilometers from this city. (PNA)
SQM/DANICA-ANN M. ULTADO, LNU INTERN/EGR