‘AGRILLENNIAL’ FARMER URGES FELLOW MILLENNIALS TO PURSUE AGRI
“We are considered ‘Agrillennials’ or agripreneur na millennial,” said Anjo Abrillo, farm manager and learning site coordinator for Abrillo Farms in Burauen, Leyte.
It was the devastation caused by Typhoon Yolanda when Anjo’s family started to venture into quail production. After their residence was heavily damaged in the city center, the family relocated to Burauen, Leyte where they saw the high demand for quail eggs.
They established the Abrillo Farms focusing on quail egg production. Over the years, the Abrillo Farms has gained over
21 percent of the regional market share, mostly in Tacloban, Leyte and Borongan City, and in Eastern Samar. With their initial stock of quails, they were able to reach a successful laying rate of 80 percent daily.
In 2017, Typhoon Urduja significantly affected their business. After recovering from the typhoon, they decided to expand their business and they reached out to LandBank to avail of a loan under the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or ACEF Program. They then acquired additional 6,000 quail stocks, purchased initial feed requirements to raise the added stocks, and finally built a bigger housing facility.
The additional stocks increased the number of eggs produced every day and their market rose from 21 percent to nearly 50 percent — making the Abrillo Farms one of the biggest producers of quail eggs in the region.
Today, the Abrillo Farms pays it forward by helping the small farmers in their local community through trainings and seminars. It is also part of the Kapatid Agri-Mentor Me Program, wherein financing facilities, such as the ACEF Program, are discussed.
ACEF is a partnership between LandBank and the Department of Agriculture which aims to help increase the productivity of farmers, fishers, and their cooperatives and associations, as well as MSMEs, through credit assistance.