Marcos highlights egg processing as way to curb oversupply, boost farmers' income

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday highlighted the government's support for egg processing facilities as a way to address oversupply, reduce agricultural waste, and help increase the income of local egg producers.

Marcos made the remarks during his visit to the Batangas Egg Producers Multipurpose Cooperative (BEPCO) in San Jose, Batangas, where he inspected facilities used to process and store eggs.

The President said BEPCO demonstrates how government agencies, local governments, cooperatives and producers can work together to address challenges faced by the agricultural sector.

"Nandito tayo sa BEPCO… dahil dito na maipakita kung ano 'yung mga magandang resultang mangyayari kapag ang iba't ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan ay nagtutulungan," Marcos said.

(We are here in BEPCO... this serves to demonstrate the positive results that can be achieved when various government agencies work together.)

Processing excess eggs

Marcos said the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) helped BEPCO develop technologies that allow eggs to be processed and stored for longer periods, particularly when market demand is low.

He said some processed and frozen egg products can be stored for weeks, while certain products can last even longer when frozen.

"Walang masasayang," Marcos said, noting that excess eggs can be processed into other products instead of being discarded.

(Nothing will go to waste.)

The Department of Agriculture (DA), meanwhile, provided machinery and support for the cooperative's egg collection and processing operations.

The DOST will also continue monitoring the products to ensure they meet quality and food safety standards.

From eggs to value-added products

Marcos also cited BEPCO's operations as an example of a 'circular business" model, where agricultural by-products are put to use instead of being thrown away.

He noted that processing eggs allows producers to earn from value-added products rather than relying solely on the sale of fresh eggs.

"Hindi na 'yung itlog lang ang pinagbibili kundi ang mga iba't ibang produkto, 'yung value-added naiiwan dito," Marcos said.

(It is no longer just eggs being sold, but various other products; the value-added component remains here.)

Marcos also linked the initiative to the government's efforts to shorten the gap between farmers and consumers by reducing dependence on middlemen.

"This is the continuing effort of government to cut out the middleman from between the farmer, between the producer, and the market," he said.

BEPCO expansion

During his visit, Marcos was briefed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. on government assistance to BEPCO and the local egg industry.

He toured the cooperative's Liquid Egg Pasteurization Facility, where eggs are processed into pasteurized whole eggs, egg whites, and egg yolks. He also inspected the cooperative's P50-million spray-drying facility, which converts liquid eggs into powdered products, as well as a new cold storage facility funded through a DA grant.

Tiu Laurel said the DA has been supporting BEPCO's liquid egg processing operations since 2015 to help manage oversupply and prevent excess eggs from going to waste.

The cooperative's expansion project is about 90% complete and is expected to be finished within the next one to two months.

"Hopefully, maparami natin iyong mga ganitong facility all over the country," Laurel said, citing BEPCO as a potential model for other agricultural cooperatives.

(Hopefully, we can increase the number of such facilities all over the country.)

BEPCO Chairperson Victorino Lescano said the cooperative already supplies pasteurized liquid egg products to hotels, airlines, bakeries and other food industry customers, while its powdered egg product remains under research and development.

Government assistance has helped BEPCO increase its sales by 125% and productivity by 25%.

BEPCO, located in Barangay Don Luis, San Jose, has 97 members operating small- to commercial-scale layer farms. Batangas is the leading egg-producing province in CALABARZON, with production reaching 217,581 metric tons in 2025. — VDV, GMA News