Twenty-five farmers’ associations in the neighboring province of Bohol have received broiler chicks and feeds worth PHP232,450, the Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) reported.

In a statement on Monday, DA-7 regional executive director lawyer Salvador Diputado said the agency has provided 1,250 heads of broiler chicks and 87 sacks of feeds to these farmers groups.

Diputado said the project is part of Agriculture Secretary William Dar’s expanded livestock and poultry production and livelihood project under the Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Kontra sa Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) Response.

“In fact, the programs of our Secretary are multipurpose. Aside from food production, the DA is also vigilant and is strengthening its measures against viral animal diseases like the African swine fever (ASF),” he said.

While the ASF continues to threaten the hog industry and supply of pork, Diputado said broiler raising is a good alternative nowadays.

“We are distributing chickens and letting you engage into broiler raising as an alternative livelihood from the usual hog raising, for the meantime that there is no cure or vaccine for ASF,” he said.

Each association has received 50 heads of day-old broiler chicks and three and a half sacks of feeds good for 25 days by when the chicks are ready to be sold in the markets.

“We will monitor you and check on your progress. If we see that you reciprocate the initiatives of DA, we will give you more assistance,” he added. (PNA)