BoI approves registration of P118.5-million chicken project

THE Board of Investments (BoI) said it approved the registration of a P118.5-million broiler chicken farm in South Cotabato.

In a statement on Thursday, the BoI said it approved the application of RCB Poultry Farm. The project has an annual capacity of 3.36 million kilograms of broiler chicken.

“The operation of the farm is seen as a significant project to ward off the threat of supply disruption should Region 12 (Soccsksargen) and its nearby regions were to be affected by the avian flu… as the localized source of chicken or chicken meat entails less biosecurity risk,” the BoI said.

The BoI said that the project will use modern methods to grow poultry at reduced cost in feed, water, and energy.

It added that the project was endorsed by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez called the project “innovative.”

According to the BoI, the operator will enter into a contract growing agreement with a large food corporation, reducing the need to import chicken at a time of massive disruption in the global supply of food.

It added that the approved project will raise Soccsksargen’s chicken production by up to 2.71%.

 “Chicken meat is… the second most-consumed meat-type after pork, based on the Supply Utilization Accounts of the Philippine Statistics Authority on Livestock and Poultry,” the BoI said.

“While there is no expected shortage of chicken meat this year, according to the DA, local production needs to reach at least 1.34 million metric tons to achieve at least 90% self-sufficiency,” it added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave