KALIBO, Aklan – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas urged hog raisers in Aklan to avail themselves of the agency’s hog restocking program to boost pork supply.
DA regional executive director Remelyn Recoter identified five conduit farmer organizations in Aklan accredited by DA-Agricultural Credit Policy Council for the repopulation, rehabilitation and recovery of the local swine industry.
These are the Madalag Development Cooperative, Libacao Development Cooperative, SANDONA Development Cooperative (New Washington), Lezo Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and the Integrated Barangays of Numancia Multi-Purpose Cooperative (IBON MPC).
Eligible backyard and commercial swine raisers can secure non-collateralized loans as working capital requirements from these farmers’ cooperatives and associations in support of the Green Zone Swine Repopulation Program.
In September, DA secretary William Dar approved an additional P300-million credit fund for Region 4-B, 6, 7 and 9.
DA-6 also encouraged hog raisers to register their hogs for insurance packages offered by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. Hog raisers can visit the DA provincial offices and service desks, municipal or provincial agricultural officer for Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) listing.
The entire province of Aklan has stepped up efforts to prevent the entry of pork and pork products from Luzon and Mindanao. In August, the province enacted an ordinance governing the prevention and control of African Swine Fever./PN
