P2B needed to alleviate RP cattle shortage

By Alex Villafania INQUIRER.net THE PHILIPPINES could face a shortage of livestock of cows, carabaos and goats in the coming years unless the government implements new measures to ensure continued animal production. As such, a group of scientists and livestock raisers have proposed a long-term plan to produce enough ruminant livestock (cows, carabaos and goats) for domestic needs. The plan was presented by the University of the Philippines-Los Baños under the auspices of the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCCARD). UPLB Writing Panel Chair Cesar Sevilla gave the report "Philippine Agriculture 2020: A Strategy for Poverty Alleviation, Food Security, Competitiveness, Sustainability, Justice and Peace" during the 13th Dioscoro Umali Memorial Lecture Series. Sevilla stressed the low production rate among raisers of cows, carabaos, goats, as well as dairy products, such as fresh milk and cheese. Sevilla noted that current cow population is at 2.5 million, carabao population stands at 3.3 million and goat herds are at 3.5 million. Sevilla said that the Philippines continues to rely on imported meat for consumption due to domestic shortages. Domestic production should then be increased for local needs. Among the problems faced by the cattle raising industry include declining herd sizes, nutritional problems, lack of extension services, high costs, inferior processing methods, lack of credit for small farmers, and lack of product standards, among others. Sevilla noted that by 2020, cow production should be increased to 7.9 million heads, or a 67 percent production rate just to accommodate domestic requirements. Carabao production should be increased to 46 percent or 4.7 million heads during the same period and goat herd should be increased to 6.2 million or a 47 percent increase from the current state. Likewise, under the plan, 12,000 dairy heifers should be produced in five years for milk production. This means a total output of 17,000 metric tons of milk by 2020 compared to just 11,000 metric tons during the current date. "The goal is to make the local cattle-raising industry to be import competitive, to ensure food security, increase job opportunity and increase income. We’ll need to source out two billion pesos for this plan to work across all of the areas in the industry," Sevilla said. He noted that while the government continues to supply the much needed funds private entities can also enter to provide the funds for each of the measures included in the 2020 plan. As such, Sevilla is calling on the local businesses to assist in pursuing the programs.