A PHP40-million feeds center that is expected to greatly boost the dairy industry in Iloilo and the whole of Western Visayas will soon rise in New Lucena town after the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the local government and the National Dairy Authority (NDA) on Friday.

The agreement was signed by NDA administrator Dr. Gabriel L. Lagamayo and New Lucena Mayor Liecel Mondejar-Seville, and witnessed by NDA OIC Assistant Manager Vicente B. Bitolinamisa III and representatives of the newly reorganized Western Visayas Dairy Farmers Confederation.

Lagamayo said among the structures that would be established in a 3-hectare property of the municipality are the NDA regional office building and the feeds center, which would have space for feeds and milk laboratories and a training center.

“We will look for farmer partners who can make this sustainable,” he said in an interview, adding that the partners would shoulder any improvement in the future.

Once operational, the center is expected to produce 250 tons of corn silage and 50 tons of pelletized concentrates monthly, he said.

Lagamayo said the feeds center would also make New Lucena a center for livestock development, as envisioned by Seville.

Meanwhile, Bitolinamisa said the dairy industry in Western Visayas has shown remarkable growth in the past three years.

“We have 6 percent year-to-year growth in terms of production and herd inventory,” he said. (PNA)