Marcos pushes for agri modernization with private sector's help

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday vowed to invest in the modernization of the agriculture sector. 

Marcos made the commitment during the inauguration of San Miguel Foods' Magnolia Poultry Farm in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur.

“We put a high premium on investments in agriculture, as it is the key to combating hunger and poverty and achieving our goal of food sufficiency and security across the country. That is why I’m pleased that this facility is just the first of the 11 planned provincial locations nationwide under San Miguel Foods’ Poultry Megafarm Projects,” Marcos, who also serves as Agriculture Secretary, said.

“Once realized, these will ensure a more stable, sufficient, and cost-competitive supply of chicken as well as bolster the food and nutritional needs of our people,” he added.

Marcos said that partnership with the private sector is the way to go since having enough food supply and making the prices of basic commodities affordable won’t count if farmers and producers are not earning.

“We are doing this [partnership] so our farmers [and poultry raisers] will earn enough. This is the way forward. This is what we have to do to industrialize our agricultural sector so that we can provide sufficient food for our people at a price they can afford and allow the producers and farmers to earn well,” he said.

San Miguel Foods, in a separate statement, said the poultry farm in Davao del Sur can produce up to 80 million birds per year, which is equivalent to 200 million kilos of live weight.

This will complement San Miguel Foods' existing nationwide contract growing program and provide additional livelihood and business opportunities for local farmers.

“By investing in the latest technological advancements in poultry farming, we can efficiently grow and harvest chickens at a faster rate while prioritizing their well-being. This allows us to consistently produce healthy chickens of premium quality and meet current and future demand for safe and affordable products for consumers nationwide,” San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and chief executive officer Ramon Ang, who was also present during the event, said.

In addition, Ang said that the new Magnolia Poultry Farm provides advanced husbandry technology and best practices in animal health and nutrition. 

"This farm alone will create some 1,000 direct and indirect jobs, benefiting mostly people in nearby communities. There is also a big opportunity for our local corn and cassava farmers, who can directly supply us raw materials for chicken feed production. This means they benefit from having a steady market for their goods, and at better selling prices compared to what they would get from middlemen," he added. 

The new Magnolia Poultry Farm is composed of 28 modules with five farmhouses each. 

The design also incorporates controlled climate technology, stringent biosecurity measures, an automated feeding and watering system, an air quality monitoring system, and an automated harvesting system. —VBL, GMA Integrated News