October 7, 2024
Halal beef production facility in Cotabato to boost food sufficiency in Mindanao, Philippines
A three-hectare halal beef production facility, valued at PHP 150 million (US$2.6 million), is set to be established in Kidapawan city, Cotabato, which aims to strengthen food sufficiency in Mindanao, Philippines, Minda News reported.
Speaking at a media forum, Emmanuel "Manny" Pinol, former head of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and adviser to Kidapawan city, announced that the local government is financing the construction of the facility and the acquisition of 1,500 breeding and fattening cows from Australia.
Pinol, also a former agriculture secretary, stated that the project is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2025. It will adopt an "integrated farming approach," covering feed production, cattle raising, and meat processing.
He emphasised the need for collaboration among farmers to achieve food self-sufficiency, stating that agricultural activities should not function in isolation.
As part of the initiative, the local government will engage farmers to supply essential crops such as corn, sorghum, soybeans, copra meal, palm oil kernel, and rice bran. These will be processed into cattle feed to support the project.
The halal beef production facility is expected to generate employment and livelihood opportunities for local farmers. In addition, the Department of Agriculture will provide funding for the construction of a halal-certified abattoir as part of its National Livestock Program.
In five years, Pinol said, Kidapawan city is projected to produce its own cattle, contributing to the country's cattle population, currently estimated at 2.7 million heads. This will help meet the rising demand for halal beef in the domestic market.
He also pointed out a significant issue in the cattle industry: the government's practice of distributing breeders to farmers without ensuring a sufficient food supply, which forces farmers to sell or slaughter their cows for meat.
- Minda News
