CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — To help the poultry industry here bounce back from the millions of peso losses due to bird flu, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Manny Piñol on Thursday said he has asked President Rodrigo Durterte for the provision of PHP100-million fund.
Piñol, in his third visit to the province since the outbreak of Avian Influenza in San Luis town, said he told Vice Governor Dennis Pineda and other stakeholders that part of the fund will be utilized for providing loan assistance to poultry farm owners and displaced farm workers who were badly affected by the outbreak.
He expressed optimism they can put an end to the Avian Influenza outbreak as soon as the culling period of infested chicken and other poultry animals is finished. He also disclosed that it will not be until 90 days when poultry animal raisers can go back to their production.
“In every crisis there is a window of opportunity,” Piñol said in an interview, stressing there are alternative measures on how to provide a living to poultry farmers until they can resume their business.
The DA Secretary said he is eyeing to turn poultry farms into fruit and vegetable farm houses using greenhouse effect technology.
He also grasped the possibility of turning unwanted dung into organic fertilizer.
Meanwhile, Piñol immediately issued a directive to create bio-security teams all over the country to inspect every poultry and livestock farms.
He said this will ensure strict compliance and protocols needed in a food production area.
He also stressed the continuous surveillance and monitoring of poultry farms in the province while encouraging the public to help report any cases of avian influenza to the authorities.
Piñol guaranteed to put an end to the crisis and to provide support to help rise the poultry industry in Pampanga.
“In the meantime, the President assures the people that this administration will go out of its way to extend assistance,” he added. (PNA)