Department of Agriculture to boost carabao production for feeding program

MANILA, Philippines — The government is moving to boost the country’s carabao production to support the feeding program for preschoolers, according to an official of the Department of Agriculture.

DA Undersecretary Deogracias Victor Savellano cited the need to preserve the carabao population.

“We need to preserve the genetics of our carabao population. Even other countries want to import from us,” Savellano told The STAR yesterday.

Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the volume of carabao production from April to June 2023 was recorded at 33,720 metric tons.

“We can supply milk for our feeding program for our preschoolers and we can expand it to school children,” he added.

According to Savellano, additional funding is needed to fund the development of carabao production.

“We should support the industry which can help our economy. We cannot develop (the carabao industry) with only meager resources,” Savellano added.

He said the DA provides various programs for cooperatives to encourage farmers to engage in carabao production.

PSA data showed that Western Visayas is the top producer of carabaos with 4,400 metric tons.

Other top five regions with highest volume of carabao production include Northern Mindanao, 3,040 metric tons; Davao, 2,940 metric tons; Eastern Visayas, 2,840 metric tons and Calabarzon with 2,620 metric tons.

On the other hand, the National Dairy Authority (NDA) Southern Mindanao and the local government of Kapai, Lanao del Sur have stepped up efforts to enhance the dairy industry in the region.

The NDA distributed 10 dairy cattle to local farmers from the Hanes Integrated Farm and Agri-Marketing Cooperative in Kapai.