Cattle fattening pushed in Mangaldan

By Sosimo Ma. Pablico

The prospects of cattle fattening in Mangaldan, Pangasinan are bright because of the abundance of feed materials and technical support from the Department of Agriculture [DA] in the Ilocos.  Thus, the local government unit of Mangaldan and the Dagupan branch of the LBC Bank are encouraging farmers to go into it. 

The LBC Bank recently approved Mangaldan as a pilot site for a cattle fattening project, noting that the farmers have already started to practice feedlot fattening and, hence, the chances for the project to succeed are great.

As early as October last year, agriculture committee chair Councilor Jesus de Guzman led Mangaldan farmer-leaders in negotiating with LBC Bank Dagupan branch manager Shirley Marie A. Ortega for production loans.  De Guzman and his brother, Melchor, who is the barangay captain of Buenlag, have volunteered as co-makers.

Ortega said farmer-recipients are given 30,000 each for the purchase of a pair of cattle for fattening.  She added the bank will start with 20 recipients but it can go to as many as 50.  Payment for the cattle will be made by the bank to the supplier to ensure that the loan is spent for the purpose it is intended for.

The lady bank manager  pointed out that with feedlot fattening, the cattle becomes  marketable after six months and, hence, recipients can start paying after six months at a net interest rate of 1.5 percent per month.

Asked why the bank can afford to give low interest rate, Ortega said the LBC Bank will make up for it in commercial loans since farmers are not in a position to pay high interest rates.

Saying that this is the first time for LBC Bank to be involved in a project like this, Ortega said: “I have high hopes that this project will succeed. If it works here, we can embark on a wider scale.”

De Guzman said the local government unit will extend all possible support to make the project a success.  He mentioned that in fact, he has already enlisted the support of the ILIARC [Ilocos Integrated Agricultural Research Center] of the DA in the Ilocos, particularly Dr. Jovita Datuin and Edmund Quinit, livestock production expert and ILIARC manager, respectively.  

Both DA Regional Director Nestor D. Domenden and Quinit are always willing to extend a helping hand, saying that the DA in the Ilocos is always encouraging farmers to adopt improved farm technologies and local initiatives in agricultural production.

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