New Legazpi agri coop to raise livestock supply

By Cet Dematera

Production of poultry, hog and other livestock raisers in Legazpi City is anticipated to significantly increase following the recent approval of the Livestock Poultry Raiser Agriculture Cooperative (LPRAC) by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) through a private-public partnership scheme facilitated by the city’s Veterinary Office (CVO).

Legazpi CVO chief Dr. Emmanuell Estipona said that they already invited interested farmers to become member of the LPRAC so that they could benefit from the services and incentives to be offered by the cooperative.

“We already scheduled on May 15 a general assembly for the farmers who are interested to become members of this newly-formed livestock raisers cooperative,” Estipona said.

In an interview on Monday, Apr. 12, Estipona said that he is encouraging all the hog raisers as well as poultry and livestock raisers to become members of LPRAC in order for them to benefit from its services.

“The certificate of registration of the LPRAC was approved already by the CDA and this is now the signal to organize the city’s legitimate farmers so that the cooperative can fully operate business transactions”, Estipona added.

Estipona said he would also invite the Department of Agriculture (DA) to explain to the farmers on how to become successful in the operation of the cooperative for it to become beneficial to all its members.

He revealed that he will also conduct an election of officers and will give trainings to all the members to sustain its operations.

“The LPRAC would be the first livestock and hog raisers cooperative in Legazpi that would help sustain the Range and Organic System and Alternative Livelihood (ROSAL) and also to revive the hog raising industry in this city”, he added.

“ROSAL” is one of the programs of the CVO for the recipient farmers to breed their own chicks as part of their livelihood activities that can give them additional income.

Estipona said that he would also help the LPRAC in making its own product label of the organic chicken and on how to sell or deliver it to the malls, including groceries and other meat vendors at the market.

He noted that DA Usec. Ernesto Gonzales has pledged also to give some multiplier breeders to fasten the hatchery of organic chicken in this city.

“We are also waiting the poultry dressing plant of DA that could be used as support facility for the dressing of the organic chicken so these could be sold quickly to the market”, Estipona said.