SIQUIJOR, Siquijor (PIA) -- Eight farmers’ associations in Siquijor are now earning  from the Ready-To-Lay (RTL) chicken project granted to them last year by the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD). 

The farmers’ groups were able to harvest a total of 39,393 eggs from December 2023 to February 2024, which translates to a combined gross income of P398, 629.43.

Each association received six modules composed of 288 chickens worth P414,000 and other inputs such as chicken feed, knapsack sprayer, disinfectant solution, shovel, wheelbarrow, range net, and a garden hose.

Two groups from Maria town logged the highest number of harvested eggs, namely: Olang Women’s Association with 11,830 eggs and an income of P 1,449 and Orchid Rural Improvement Club with 10,909 eggs and an income of P 101,245. 

In San Juan, the Purok Sudkon farmers’ association harvested 6,871 eggs giving them an income of P 99,775, while the Can-asagan Rural Improvement Club sold 1,047 eggs with an income of P7,092.

For the farmers’ groups in Larena, the Ponong Farmers and Women’s Association collected 1,045 eggs which earned them P4,717, while Bintangan El Paraiso farmers association collected and sold 4,038 eggs for an income of P74, 295.

The Parian Small Coconut Farmers group harvested P2,532 eggs with an income of P14,143, while the Balolong Livelihood Association sold 1,121 eggs earning them P5,912.

The association members take turns in feeding, giving of clean water, cleaning and collecting the manure, and harvesting of eggs.

“Dako ang among pasalamat sa DA-SAAD sa nadawat na RTL project u gang ubang mga interventions na gihatag sa amoa. Hinaut nga magpadayon pa ang amo income sa itlog aron makatabang mi puhon sa among mga pamilya,” said Jesusima J. Tamala, president of Pari-an Small Coconut Farmers Organization . 

(We are grateful to the DA-SAAD for the RTL project and the interventions we received. We hope that we can sustain our income from the chicken eggs so we can still help our family.)

Ellen M. Balambao, chairperson of the Olang Women’s Association, expressed her gratitude to the SAAD program for the livelihood projects they received. 

“Dako kaayo among pasalamat nga napili mi hatagan og RTL projects kay dako kaayo ni nga tabang kanamo karon. Hinaot unta nga magpadayon pa ni nga income sa among grupo aron makatabang pud kanamo tanan,” she said.

(We are very thankful to be chosen as the beneficiaries of the RTL projects. This is a big help to us and we hope that we can sustain our project and earn an income for our group.)

The associations are selling the chicken eggs at P200 per tray for the extra-small size, P210 for small, P230 for medium, P250 for large, P270 for extra-large, and P280 for jumbo. (RMN/PIA7 with reports from Department of Agriculture 7)