DA sets aside P85M for small-scale egg production

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is implementing a P85.19-million project aimed at providing an immediate source of food for the country and the livelihood of farmers and various groups.

The DA issued Memorandum Order No. 2 governing the implementation of the Livelihood Opportunities and Viable Enterprise (LOVE) for Agricultural Farming Communities: Chicken Layer Project.

This undertaking involves the establishment of small-scale egg production in select provinces nationwide.

“This project will provide an immediate source of food and livelihood and [an] immediate return on investment, which will redound to food security,” the memo said.

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The DA is implementing this project as egg dishes are among the most common foods served on a Filipino plate, being the most affordable and accessible source of protein. It also highlighted the egg industry’s significant contribution to the economy.

“It is also a source of vitamins and essential minerals helping to combat malnutrition and essential for a healthy diet. Beyond this, table eggs are a source of livelihood and income [for] Filipino rural communities as well as agripreneurs,” it said.

Of the P85.19 million earmarked for this project, the biggest chunk is for the procurement of modules amounting to P79,500 each. It will be bankrolled using the DA Office of the Secretary’s trust fund.

Based on the memo, the module refers to three-tier battery layer cages consisting of feeder and nipple drinkers, vitamins, medications, disinfectant, 48 heads of ready-to-lay pullets, feeds (two bags of pre-lay and six bags of layer feeds), veterinary supplies, and a shed.

Intended beneficiaries are farmers, community groups, and farmer cooperatives and associations as determined by the respective DA regional field offices and local government units.

About 11 beneficiaries will be selected per province for the LOVE Project, with Central Luzon getting the biggest share of the budget.

They will be chosen based on their community’s food security needs, capacity to sustain the project, and commitment to participating in the training and other activities.

Egg production in the country totaled 197,406.4 metric tons (MT) in the third quarter of 2024, up by 6.6 percent from 185,255.4 MT in the same period a year earlier, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

(2025/01/21-09:57)