Aid to boost NegOr livestock industry

CEBU CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Central Visayas has turned over more than R3 million worth of livestock equipment to the eight municipalities and one city in Negros Oriental Tuesday.

DA Regional Executive Director Salvador Diputado said Negros Oriental’s mountain landscape is perfect for livestock raising and the assistance will make the industry more aggressive and competitive.

Diputado, along with the local officials of Sta. Catalina and representatives of the provincial government led the opening of the Sta. Catalina Livestock Oksyon Market last Feb. 12.

The Oksyon market in Barangay Caranoche has been provided with a livestock weighing scale worth R268,888. Similar weighing scales were distributed to the towns of Bindoy, La Libertad, Manjuyod, Sta. Catalina, Tayasan and Zamboanguita.

Diputado said the scales will enhance the trading of livestock and small ruminants, since the weighing-in of the livestock happens in and around the livestock Oksyon market.

The City of Canlaon, and the municipalities of Dauin, Manjuyod and Siaton each received an incubator worth R199,775. The Provincial Veterinary Office got Liquid Nitrogen mother and field tanks valued at R877,500, Diputado said.

Sta. Catalina Mayor Nelson Lopez thanked DA for the assistance.

The equipment assistance was allocated under the 2018 livestock development program budget.