The private sector has a lot of plans for food production in the Philippines such as the recently launched world-class poultry farm by the San Miguel Corp. (SMC) in Davao del Sur, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., said on Thursday.
“Sa US yata ito galing ay para naman magkaroon na tayo ng magandang supply ng manok. Madami siguro kasi… The reason that I made sure to come here para ipakita nga na mayroon talagang paraan para magkaroon tayo ng sapat na supply,” President Marcos said in a media interview during the inauguration of SMC’s facility in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur.
The President stressed the SMC project is one way of encouraging investors to put their money in agriculture.
“And it comes from again, from the private sector, but the private sector marami silang pinaplano. SM Foods has a plan to eventually allow some of the cooperatives, farmers associations to come into partnership with them. So, that is — ‘yan na nga ‘yung PPP [public private partnership]. Marami tayong puwedeng gawin pagka ganito.” he said.
The President highlighted the SMC efforts to put up a dozen of modern poultry project similar to the one launched in Hagonoy, which is climate-controlled and isolated to protect them from pests and diseases.
“Ang total project is isang dosena nito around the country, gagawin ng SM Foods,” the President said.
“The amounts are quite substantial kaya’t this is what we need,” Marcos said, explaining the SMC cannot compete with small farmers since their final product is ready-to-eat and will not be available in wet markets.
“Tapos naka-isolate na ganito, hindi natin masyadong kailangan bantayan ‘yung avian flu. So, these are all the technologies that are available around the world dapat i-adopt natin kaya natin ipinapakita ngayon na pwede naman talaga tayong mag-produce nang sapat, ng broiler, tapos iba’t ibang pagkain.”
The PhP3.34-billion Magnolia Poultry Farm (MPF) is situated in a 921.91-hectare property in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. The project envisions to house 28 world-class climate-controlled farmhouses that will produce 80 million birds annually.
The MPF, which started commercial operations in September this year, will serve the requirements of San Miguel Foods Inc.’s (SMFI) Dressing Plant in Davao del Sur and also supply Mindanao. PND
