FREE-RANGE CHICKENS. A hog raiser in Binmaley town, whose pigs were culled due to the African swine fever (ASF) received free-range chickens on June 22, 2020 from the Department of Agriculture (DA). The program is part of DA's rehabilitation plan for hog raisers in Pangasinan affected by the ASF. (Photo courtesy of Binmaley town)
DAGUPAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is distributing free-range chickens to hog raisers affected by the African swine fever (ASF) in the past months.
In an interview Wednesday, Dr. Allen Doctolero, DA Ilocos Region technical staff for ASF, said the program is part of the department’s recovery plan for ASF-affected hog raisers in Pangasinan.
“Each farmer receives 20 heads of pullet and two heads of roster. The distribution was started on June 22,” she said.
Some 20 hog raisers here have already received their free-range chickens, while seven hog raisers in Binmaley town and two from Mapandan town, Doctolero said.
She said 86 more hog raisers in Binmaley town are also set to receive their free-range chickens in the coming days, 14 hog raisers from Lingayen town, and 15 more from Mapandan town.
“Training or technical briefing on the raising of free-range chicken was scheduled for them,” she said.
Doctolero said this is on top of the indemnification fund worth PHP5,000 per head of culled pigs, aside from the aid given by their respective local government units.
“The chickens were given by DA for free, and no collateral or counterpart from them,” she added. (PNA)
