LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—With the revitalization of the Pangasinan Dairy Farm in Laoac town, the province’s total sales for milk production have reached almost P1.8 million for the first half of 2024 (January-June) alone.
In 2023, the dairy farm produced 6,487 liters of raw milk, which generated total sales of P2,093,000.00.
It can be recalled that among the earliest directives of Governor Ramon V. Guico III was to increase the number of dairy livestock in the province’s 3.7-hectare dairy farm.
Thus, with the provincial government’s assistance in 2023, a total of 1,460 cattle were inseminated by village-based technicians, which resulted in the production of some 1,022 calves last year.
From the 2022 carabao population of 118 heads, the carabao population increased to 211 in 2023. The latest count showed that the Pangasinan Laoac Dairy Farm has 286 heads of dairy livestock from the original 107 heads, with 199 heads of dairy carabaos and 87 dairy cattle.
Provincial Agriculture Office (PAgO) head Dalisay Moya said the project has an average daily milk production of 80 to 85 litters.
Based on the report, 50% of the harvested fresh milk is fed to the newly born calves, and 50% is sold either fresh or pasteurized milk. About 5 to 10% of the 50% fresh milk is subjected to the pasteurization process while the rest is sold as fresh milk to clients and customers of the project.
At present, the project is serving local consumers in the nearby villages and municipalities, as well as local restaurants and milk processors in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.
Pasteurized milk produced, on the other hand, is sold in the Kadiwa stores organized by the province in support of the ‘Kadiwa ng Pangulo Project.’
To protect and conserve female carabaos in the province, there is an existing provincial board ordinance that regulates the sale or slaughter of female carabaos (riverine buffaloes and crossbreds) within Pangasinan. (Ruby F. Rayat/PIMRO)
