DA and Korea collaborating on a $1.2-million project to improve the Philippine swine industry

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of South Korea have collaborated to improve the Philippine swine industry through a $1.2-million project.

The “Feasibility Study on Enhancing Meat Safety and Quality through Establishment of Modern Livestock Infrastructure and Inspection Facilities with Traceability Systems” is “important, critical, urgent, timely and high impact that if successfully implemented will benefit livestock industry,” said William Dar, Agriculture Secretary.

The study’s results were released by the EDCF, a subsidiary of the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM Bank), the official export credit agency of South Korea.

The EDCF feasibility study was based on five components:

1. installation of new inspection equipment,
2. establishment of modern livestock facilities with global standard meat complex in Regions 3 (Central Luzon) or 4A (Calabarzon),
3. development and implementation of information and communications technology systems,
4. capacity-building, and
5. policy recommendation

Under the project, a meat enhancement facility is projected to rise in 2023 in Calabarzon, one of the swine industry’s key regions.

The facility will have a slaughterhouse, storage facility, meat cutting, and packaging facilities, carcass auction market wholesaling space, and chilling and freezing warehouses.

The study will also pave the way for the construction of Meat Academy, a Philippine training center for meat slaughtering and processing, a 50-ton capacity feed mill, and upgrades to Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and National Meat Inspection System (NMIS) laboratory.

Batangas, Calabarzon, National Capital Region, and Regions 3, 7, and 11 are prospect sites for developments.

KEXIM-EDCF will also donate seaport container scanners with interpretation rooms for the international container terminals in Batangas.

In 2018, the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and NMIS also signed a deal with KEXIM Bank to strengthen the livestock industry with a focus on food security and possible export potential.

SOURCE: Business Mirror