AAA rated abattoir to rise in Tarlac Czeriza Valencia

MANILA, Philippines - An export-oriented abattoir for dressing poultry will soon start operations in Bamban, Tarlac by end of the year, the Livestock Development Council (LDC) said.

LDC executive director Manuel Jarmin said the contract for the construction of the P120-million AAA-rated abattoir was awarded by the local government of Tarlac during the first quarter of the year.

The construction of the facility has started and is expected to be finished between the last quarter of the year and the first quarter of 2015.

 â€œConstruction of the facility will take 10 months but we can work with the local government to fast-track the implementation of the project so it can be finished in time for the Christmas season,” said Jarmin.

The facility, which has a processing capacity of 3,000 heads of birds per hour, will serve the tolling needs of small poultry raisers in the province.

With the establishment of the export-oriented slaughterhouse in the province, small poultry raisers can take advantage of the huge demand for chicken in South Korea, which has recently expressed interest in increasing imports of farm products from the Philippines, poultry products included.

 â€œAfter the facility is established, we wiil request the South Korean government to accredit it for export,” said Jarmin.

The funding for the facility, sourced from the livestock developmentprogram of the Department of Agriculture (DA), was transferred as a grant to the local government unit hosting the project.

The slaughterhouse will initially be managed by a qualified farmers’ cooperative under supervision by the DA before it is turned over to the local government.

The DA is also laying down the ground for the establishment of a P150-million AAA slaughterhouse for hogs in Tanauan, Batangas.

 â€œThe plan for the project has been sent to (Agriculture) Secretary (Proceso) Alcala for approval,” said Jarmin.

The proposed facility would have a minimum processing capacity of 250 hogs in a day and a maximum of 500 hogs per day.