Iloilo Milk Processing Plant inaugurated
Gov. Niel Tupas, Sr. tries on the fresh
produce of the Iloilo Milk Processing
Plant
Tigbauan, Iloilo -- The Province of Iloilo will soon be put in the map as one of the Dairy Zones in the country.
This optimism was expressed by the Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Cesar M. Drilon during the blessing and inauguration of the Iloilo Dairy Processing Plant at the Tigbauan National High School Campus last Friday, March 24, 2006.
He said further calling the project as "ATON GID INI" can surely make a difference in the lives of dairy farmers in the Province of Iloilo since they have shown the capability of sustaining the project to let it grow.
The dairy processing plant which is funded by the Provincial Government under the administration of Gov. Niel D. Tupas, Sr. costs P2 million and will serve as the central area to covert the raw milk from dairy cooperatives into pasteurized milk and other milk products fit for human consumption. The milk processing equipment, other hand, was provided by the National Dairy Authority (NDA) to Iloilo Federation of Dairy Cooperatives (IFEDCO). It is capable of processing 500 liters of fresh milk per hour.
IFEDCO is composed of five organized dairy cooperatives in five municipalities in southern part of Iloilo such as PAABOT Dairy Development Cooperative of Leon; VATABACA Miagao Dairy Development Cooperative of Miagao; Cordova Norte Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Tigbauan, Jovellar-Catiringan Dairy Development Cooperative of Igbaras; and Oton Dairy Development Cooperative of Oton. It has a total of 106 dairy farmers now.
Drilon also assured dairy farmers that additional heads of cattle to be imported from New Zealand will soon be shipped in the province this year.
To augment the income of these dairy farmers, he said, the National Dairy Authority will train their housewives in making sweets such as pastillas, yemas and cheese, among others, out of milk by-products.
Drilon added this project is also in support to the Milk Feeding Program of Senate President Franklin M. Drilon as way of solving malnutrition in the country.
In the Province of Iloilo alone, the milk feeding project under the Batang Ilonggo Ka (BIP Ka) nutrition program will benefit 5, 359 school children.
Meanwhile, data showed that as of the month of February this year, the farmers collected a total of 13,714.50 liters of milk. A total of 67,567.90 liters were collected in the whole year of 2005 with market value of P1.2 million.
Milk products are now available in several huge malls and department stores in Iloilo and being sold in several municipalities and in schools and universities in the province.
The inauguration and blessing of the processing plant were attended by Gov. Niel D. Tupas, Sr., Board Member Domingo Oso, Jr., NDA Administrator Salvacion M. Bulatao, Municipal Officials of Tigbauan, Miagao Mayor Gerardo Flores, Dr. Silvino Teodosio (Provincial Veterinarian), Provincial Agriculturist Zafiro Plabrica, Mila Layog (OCI-PCDO), Ms. Evelyn Sustento (PPDO), dairy farmers and faculty and students of Tigabuan National High School.
(Ian Espada/Capitol News)