By Edwin Fernandez/PNA
MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato – One of the most improved towns in North Cotabato should have its own broiler chicken industry, a provincial board member on Sunday said.
“Midsayap should develop its own broiler industry because of its huge market,” North Cotabato third district Board Member Socrates Piñol said.
Piñol, younger brother of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, was in Midsayap as guest speaker of the town’s “Sinugba Festival” as part of its foundation anniversary.
It was time for Midsayap, the center of commerce and trade in North Cotabato’s first district, to have its own broiler industry, the provincial legislator said.
“I was surprised to learn that broiler chicken supplies sold at the town’s public market were from Davao and Gen. Santos City chicken suppliers,” Piñol said.
The demand for broiler chicken is huge in Midsayap, he said, noting that the town remains the center of commerce and trade of people from the adjoining towns of Pigcawayan, Libungan, Alamada, Aleosan, and Pikit.
Even consumers from some towns in Maguindanao get chicken supplies in Midsayap, Piñol said, citing the local vendors.
Midsayap Mayor Romeo Araña told Piñol that the 500 kilos of dressed chicken a day is not enough for Midsayap alone.
Piñol said he will suggest to Sec. Piñol to let the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Meat Inspection System to put up a mini-chicken dressing plant in Midsayap.
“This is irony of all ironies,” Piñol said, saying that the PPALMA (the acronym for the adjoining towns of Pigcawayan-Pikit-Alamada-Libungan-Midsayap-Aleosan) is the leading supplier of yellow corn, the main ingredients in feeds production for chicken and hogs.
He said the establishment of a dressing plant in Midsayap would also help yellow corn farmers because buying price is expected to rise.
In addition, Piñol said he expects prices of dressed chicken to drop because there will be no transportation cost from Davao or Gen. Santos to Midsayap.
The prevailing price of dressed chicken per kilo in Midsayap is at P160.
“More farmers are expected to get aid from the DA for broiler chicken production, the provincial lawmaker said. He pointed out a “chain reaction” to the local economy once the chicken dressing plant is established in Midsayap and the chicken industry will flourish.
