AN additional P300 million has been allotted for lending to backyard and semi-commercial hog raisers in “green zones” or in areas free from the African Swine Fever (ASF).

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the additional amount, which was allotted by the DA through its Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), will help support their continuing efforts to revive the country’s hog industry.

DA-ACPC Director Jocelyn Badiola said the additional amount will help finance swine projects in four ASF-free areas, particularly in Regions 4-B (MIMAROPA), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), and 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula).

Eligible borrowers include individual, start-up, and existing semi-commercial swine raisers (SCSR), small enterprises, and farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs).

Individual borrowers can avail of up to P300,000, start-up SCSR up to P1 M, existing SCSR up to P3 M, and small enterprises and FCAs up to P15 M.

Badiolo disclosed that the loan has zero interest, and payable up to five years.

Last year, the DA-ACPC initially allotted P500 million for lending to backyard raisers and micro and small enterprises (MSEs) under its ANYO program. As of August 31, 2021, the ACPC has lent P157.18 M to 1,660 small hog farmers and MSEs.

“We thank ACPC for being always there to come forward and bring additional resources,” Dar said.

To date, Dar said the “OneDA Family” has already allotted P3 billion to revive the country’s swine industry. It includes the P800-M lending program, P1.2-B fund for the “Bantay ASF sa Barangay” and P872 M for INSPIRE or Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion program.

INSPIRE is a three-year calibrated hog repopulation program that involves the establishment of breeder multiplier farms, and intensive and modernized production by clustered farms. From 2021 to 2023, the DA targets to produce 440,563 breeders and 10.5 million finishers.

In addition to the P3 billion fund from DA, the Duterte administration through the government’s two main financial institutions — Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) — has allotted a total P42B for lending to commercial raisers in ASF-free areas.

Under its “Special Window and Interim Support to Nurture Hog Enterprises” or SWINE lending program, LandBank has approved P295.8 million as of June 30, 2021, and processing P3.774 billion worth of projects.

For its part, the DBP under its “Swine Rehabilitation, Repopulation and Recovery” or Swine R3 credit program has approved P300 million as of July 31, 2021, and evaluating P3.6 bilion worth of projects.

Several major agribusiness firms are also partnering with the Duterte administration to revive the swine industry, like Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Company (UNAHCO), and Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines, Corp. (CP Foods).

In particular, CP Foods has committed to produce an additional 600,000 finishers next year, comprising one-fifth of the total 3-M decrease in hog population since 2019. The company also plans to buy at least 300,000 metric tons (MT) of yellow corn from farmers’ groups for its feedmill business.

“Let’s continue our hard work and united efforts to help the Philippine swine industry get back on its feet, and contribute again to building a strong, resilient agriculture sector,” Dar added.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Cory Martinez