Zamboanga del Norte- DA-PRDP Regional Project Coordination Office IX conducted a punch listing activity of the Salug Small Coconut Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative’s (SASCOFAMCO) communal pigpen.

The P727 thousand worth pigpen is part of the infrastructure component of the “Swine Production and Marketing Enterprise ” of which SASCOFAMCO is the lead proponent group (PG) . This will soon house to 16 sows, one (1) boar, and 80 heads weanlings.

The Proponent Group (PG) will undertake the raising of sixteen (16) sows and one boar for breeding purposes.  Subsequently it will also ensure success of the farrowing, weaning and marketing activities. 

According to Rural Infra Engr. Renato Sinique the structure is already 96% substantially complete. This will be turned over soon once it reaches the 100% target together with other components of the subproject.

The entire subproject package is worth P2.35 million which includes the proponent group’s equity. Another important component of this enterprise subproject is the motorcycle worth P29,700 which will be used in transportation and delivery of the swine.

This subproject seeks to promote swine raising as a sustainable enterprise in Zamboanga del Norte. It also aims to  help the beneficiaries increase their annual income by 50.15 percent from P25,491.07 to P38,275.71 in the first year and an average of 69.57% in the two years after that; increase the number of household engaged in  swine production by seven (7) percent  from 325 to 350 in Year 1; provide additional job opportunities for proponent group members from zero to five (5) in Year 1; forge at least one (1) formalized arrangement for marketing for fattened swine both for lechon and meat purposes in Year 1; increase the number of women directly benefiting from the enterprise by 40 percent from 15 to 25 in Year 2; and  increase membership by ten (10) percent per year starting from 500 to 550 in year one(1).

The PG will undertake the beneficiary selection process, input provision and monitoring and evaluation (M & E) of the enterprise subproject.  It will also link up with National Government Agencies (NGA’s), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and Local Government Units (LGU’s) for trainings on swine production and management.

Farmer beneficiaries (members and non-members) will carry out the fattening/finishing of one head of piglet for lechon purposes and two heads of piglets for meat purposes.

The stocks will be picked-up by the SASCOFAMCO once they reached the desired market weights for consolidated marketing to Mrs. Sherly S. Sangcom- Baliling Hog Buyer Dipolog City, a lechonero who is catering to the lechon needs of hotels and restaurants in the City and Barangay Food Terminal (BFT). (Joy Montecalvo with reports from InfoACE IX)