Animal raisers prepare for Panaad fair

BACOLOD CITY (PNA) — Animal raisers in Negros Occidental are expected to have more income opportunities during the upcoming nine-day Livestock and Dairy Fair held as part of the Panaad sa Negros Festival.

This year’s theme is “Producing Livestock, Providing Livelihood and Improving Lives.”

The fair will be held on April 22 to 30 at the Panaad Park in Barangay Mansilingan here.

The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) headed by Dr. Renante Decena is already starting preparations with members of the Negros Association of Animal Feed and Drug Suppliers (NAAFDS), the provincial government’s partner in staging the activity.

Alpha Grace Tupas, Project Development Officer I of PVO, said in a report Friday that aside from providing animal raisers more income opportunities, the initiative is also equipping them with knowledge and skills through seminars and trainings.

These include discussions on value adding, meat processing, and poultry production particularly on free-range chicken and broiler.

Through these seminars and trainings, animal raisers can become entrepreneurs to improve their livelihood.

Tupas said that this year, the emerging lamb sector will be introduced by holding a processing seminar and cooking competition.

“We are working on making the upcoming livestock and dairy fair more successful by covering and boosting more local raisers,” she added.

Regular activities during the fair include “Lechonaad,” ceremonial turnover of livestock and poultry projects to recipient farmer-raisers, trade and exhibitions, seminars and trainings, among others.