ORGANIC PURPLE RICE FARMERS IN ZARRAGA, ILOILO

Shifting to organic rice farming had been a long arduous struggle for Mr. Osmundo Pedregosa and his neighbors in Brgy. Talibong, Zarraga, Iloilo. Being in the midst of hundreds of hectares of rice grown on conventional farming methods, it was a difficult shift not only in technology but also in the basic farming paradigms for the core group of farmers wanting to change for the better. Tatay Munding as he is popularly called not only because he was among the most senior in his group but also because of the leadership that he

always provided realized early that while he can convince the members of his core group to try and test the organic farming method being pushed by government technicians, their neighbors are not only hesitant and rather, they immediately rejected the new ideas and technology. “Organic rice farming involve more effort and expenses and the income increment may not be substantial and commensurate to the effort, as consumers may not immediately respond favorably to added prices or premiums that organic products are supposed to enjoy”, said Munding in response to the question on the marketability of organic rice. “They knew it was good for the health but the extra cost seems to be the limiting factor for them to make organic rice their staple”.

Organic rice production do not use easily bought or accessed chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides which had been fund to be poisonous to health of humans and animals. There are also chemicals used in farming that can affect humans even if they were ingested by animals because of the residues in the animals' liver and tissues are also accumulated in the internal organs of people ingesting these animals.

The technology on organic rice farming was introduced to the group at Talibong by the Iloilo Provincial Agriculture Office led by the team from the Research and Institutional Development Division headed by Mr. Elias Sandig. Early on, the team responded to the call of the Regional Field Unit VI of the Department of Agriculture headed by RED Larry Nacionales. The Iloilo PAO transferred the various technologies for Natural Farming like the preparation of various concoctions like the Indigenous Micro Organisms (IMO), Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ), Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ), Oriental herbal Nutrients (OHN), Fish/Kuhol Amino Acid (FAA/KAA). They also taught the group on other aspects like bio-security, biological pest control and other eco-friendly technologies so as to minimize pest infestation and contamination of toxic chemical in the rice products.

Indeed the efforts to shift to organic farming bore fruit but when harvest came in and the rice produced have to be sold, Tatay Munding and his core group encountered marketing problems. Consumers and traders simply treated their organic product in the same category as conventionally grown rice. They were hesitant to buy the more expensive organic red and purple rice. Red and purple rice are like the ordinary white rice sold except for the red/purple pigmentation that is said to add anti-oxidant action that boosts the immune system especially for weak people and those suffering from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cancer. But such properties are not appreciated by the majority of consumers who were offered by the group.

“We had a hard time introducing our organic rice in the market and we were happy that the Provincial Agriculture Office again stepped in where the technologists assigned also helped sell our rice in one (1) kilogram bags”, said Munding. Well-meaning advocates especially media, also helped by spreading the word that there is now organic rice available in Iloilo City. The group now known as the Talibong Organic Farmers' Association (TaOFA), registered with the Department of Labor and Employment also joined fairs and exhibits to showcase their organic rice. Somehow their inventory moved but every season they still have to sell the bulk of their products at the price of ordinary rice just to recover costs and have money for the next season's operations.

When the organic farming act (RA 10068) was signed, Pedregosa and his association welcomed this as this would be the vehicle by which they can finally ride to better times. But they then found that they encountered even more problems. It became more difficult for them to get their products certified as organic. The law provided for certain agencies and institutions as sole certifying agencies where have to pay at least P30,000.00 for their farms and their products to be certified as truly organic. Of course being Filipinos, and Ilonggos at that, their spirit of hospitality would mean added expenses for the group whenever the visitors come for evaluation. They said that they have no problems about following and institutionalizing the protocols in organic farming. Even additional requirements such as filter ponds to ensure that all chemicals can be filtered or rendered inactive, can be built. But the yearly fees as well as the hustle to get their farms certified may not be worth the effort. Good for rich farmers and corporations going into organic farmers but for them who can barely make both ends meets, such fees and long processes will easily disqualify them to be certified as truly organic. They said that they would rather stick to their existing protocols of natural farming and thus qualify their products as natural instead of organic.

“We were happy when the law was passed and the Department provided us with many opportunities to attend trainings and seminars on organic farming and how we can sell in the market. But it seems that the first step which is to ensure that our organic products qualify is the most expensive and the most difficult at the certifying agency nearest to us is in Negros and just imagine the expense incurred bringing them here. We don't object to the requirements which I think we can all fulfill or meet. We hope that the law can be more humane for us poor farmers”.

Their initial success and the unity they showed has given them attention and other farmers nearby are now gravitating towards them since they are now envious of the the successes they have achieved. From the funds they generated internally , they were able to buy their own mini rice mill and then invested in a bigger mill so that it can accommodate larger volumes when orders pour in. Being evaluated as strong and capable, the DA-RFU6 provided them with other equipment such as hand tractors, threshers and lately, a transplanting machine which answers their need for a speedy transplanting operation now that farm labor has become scarce and expensive. The members of TAOFA has accepted the recommendation of the Department for synchronized crop establishment and thus, transplanting should be simultaneous. “We are happy that DA is very supportive. We accept their technology of synchronous planting but if we need to plant our 60 hectares within the week, we need at least 100 people to do the work for the next seven to eight days, an impossible task to gather. The machine can help us as it would cut down the number of people we need to transplant our area within the small time frame needed for synchronous planting.

By the start of 2013, the group has now about 35 members and are tilling at least 60 hectares. New members have also started applying. Their market has gradually grown and can absorb more than 50% of their collective produce. Marketing is now both institutional and by each members who have found markets on their own, a move that they have also encouraged. Their activities and perseverance to pursue organic farming also caught the attention of many agencies, foremost is the DA-RFU6 that they became recipient of grants and aid such as machinery for rice farming. As early as 2008 however, Tatay Munding had invested on a small rice mill that can dehusk palay and preserve its purple color fully.

Yet they consider their success as just the first step. They still are continuously working for better yields, better varieties which are in much demand in the market and a stable premium market which can absorb the 200 metric tons of palay they produce collectively every season. With new members coming in, they project that their total produce would reach t least 300 metric tons in late 2013.

“While we are now mildly successful, we are still striving for more, hoping that we as a group will be able to grow together, provide better futures for our children and most of all, provide the consumers with safe, nutritious rice that we all deserve”, concluded Tatay Munding.

PICTURES:

01- Tatay Munding in green polo together with officers of TAOFA pausing in front of the mini rice mill with the larger mill's snout seen at the back;

02- A sumptuous meal of purple rice and “chicken binakol”, an Ilonggo chicken dish shared by the officers during their monthly meeting;

03- a one kilogram pack of purple rice

MAKING A SMALL INTEGRATED FARM

Having been invited by RMN DYRI in Iloilo City to become a resource person for its farming-oriented radio segment every night Monday to Saturday has challenged me to put up my own small farm. My design is such that it should contain all the features that I talk about like organic farming, modern urban gardening including hydroponics or the culture of vegetables and plants in a water media. It should also be integrated so that there will be as many  income streams as possible.

Starting the small farm.

I asked by sibling and my mother to allow me the use of our vacant lot at Muyco St. in Brgy. Poblacion in our home town, Dingle, Iloilo. The lot used to have two semi permanent houses put up by previous leasees and only the core structures made of concrete has remained. The whole lot was overgrown with fast growing trees and shrubs and in all, I must have spent more than P60,000.00 just to clear and have enough space for planting as well as places for cages and pens. The main building and other structures cost me another P180,000.00 but by the time I finished I had four rain shelters to grow vegetables year round and a main house for meetings and conferences as well as lecture area in case there would be farmers interested to learn how I am doing things.


After the structures, I decorated the fence lines with discarded soft drink bottles cut in half and filled with garden soil then planted first with pechay (bok choi) then leaf onions on the next round. I ensured constant fertility with regular (weekly) watering of liquid fermented manure and live microorganisms using the Japanese and Korean Natural Farming System Technology.

I established a multi layer bed on the first two rain shelters where the top bed was filled with about 5 inches of rich garden soil and planted with lettuce. On the first rain shelter, I established hydroponics boxes using the UP Los Banos technology where the scientists have formulated a stable set of compounds for passive hydroponics. A solution of ten liters poured into the box would suffice to grow 15 to 20 lettuce plants from seedlings to maturity. I seeded a red type of lettuce because of its famed anti-cancer property. My first harvest in the last week of February 2013 yielded about 700 grams of lettuce. Some of the harvested lettuce were just cut off at the second node to see if they will grow again so that I would not need to replant or establish new seedlings which is the most expensive input.


Next I enriched the soil of the third and fourth rain shelters. I planted lettuce on the center while the sides were planted with a mix of squash, tomatoes and amaranth. Between these plants, I established basil and oregano which will act as repellant for the pests that attack squash and tomatoes. The squash will later grow and reach the top just below the plastic and crawl all over to provide partial shade for the lettuce.

I have pruned the iba tree and it has started to profusely bear fruits which I am now harvesting to use as fermented fruit juice and to add to the compost pile and make it rot or decompose faster. I have also started to harness the manure of my chickens and use this as fertilizer for the garden. Meanwhile, I have shipped about 30 heads of chickens to Sabah before the conflict and my buyers were exceedingly happy with the results of their purchase and could have bought more had the conflict not escalated. But of course, I was happier with the volume of the dung produced before I sent that batch off. (To be Continued).

FEEDING NATIVE CHICKENS THE NATURAL WAY (2): Carbohydrates Sources (Continuation)

Native or indigenous chickens are source of income and a main staple for the farm family and the main cost of producing them is feeding and the source of feeds. Farmers' experience and researches by agencies, both private and government, indicate that poultry can be fed an adequately nutritious diet by small farmers and their family using readily available sources and can be planted right at the farm or family lot.

Cassava:

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a root crop that originated in South America during the early Spanish era when seafarers brought with them stems of this plant for planting. It has now become another staple food and cooked into favorite snack items especially for low end vendors in Iloilo City. It is also important as a source of feeds for livestock and poultry.

Cassava contains about 3,100 kilo-calories per kilogram (kcal/kg.) of dried root or flour (corn contains about 3,400 kcal/kg) but has a low protein content of about 2.5% ((http://betuco.be/manioc) and is deficient in amino acids methionine, lysine and possibly tryptophan. A common small scale crop by farmers nationwide, cassava is usually planted not only for food but also as a source of animal feed especially during scarcity of feeds during summer or dry months. It is an excellent source of carbohydrates and can replace up to 50% of the total corn requirement.

However cassava leaves and stems contain high levels of protein. Local and international studies indicate that cassava leaves contain as much as 20% crude protein and is suitable for feeding to poultry especially when processed or cooked. Consumed also as a vegetable in other countries, it is palatable for poultry when cooked and added to compounded feeds.

There are many ways by which cassava may be fed to chickens. In commercial feeds, cassava is used in the form of flour or powdered dried pellets or chips. In small scale farms and in small family operations, cassava is often fed fresh or cooked and fed as a slurry mixed with other edibles like cassava leaves, sweet potato roots and leaves and protein sources like snails (kuhol and taklong or the African giant snails). Usually, cassava roots are peeled because the skin contains high concentrations of hydrocyanic acids which can cause instant death to livestock and poultry. Once peeled, the white tuber is then chopped to fine pieces and fed directly or sometimes added with chopped or grated coconut which is an excellent source of protein and fats. Often, cassava is also cooked together with snails and other ingredients to make it more digestible and much safer because cooking neutralizes the toxins found in trace amounts even in the tuber.

The addition of protein in the chicken feeds, whether dried or cooked, is essential to balancing the intake of amino acids and protein as cassava is low in this critical nutrient. In commercial feeds, free form amino acids like lysine, methionine and tryptophan are also added. However in home made rations, these amino acids may be found in fish and scrap meat which may be added to the cooked or even raw chicken feeds so that the chickens are provided with as much balanced feeds as possible.

A home made feed which can be cooked may be composed of up to 60% by volume of cassava, 20% of a protein source like snails, another 20% of a protein rich legume leaf and some other nutrients and vitamin sources like oyster shell. Rice bran and corn may also be added to increase palatability. This way, the nutrient profile of the ration may be as complete as that of the commercial ration.

Cassava is an ideal carbohydrates feed source in small scale chicken farming as it is easy to grow and maintain. Under normal soil conditions, cassava does not need to be fertilized. It blends well into the farm system and ecology of the small farm or even the family lot because it does not need much care and maintenance. It is also an excellent fence crop and acts as an effective yet edible barrier when it has grown for a few months. Its care and management needs is also basic and can already survive after the first three months if weeds are removed so that it can have adequate space and access to sunlight. When about one meter high, there will no longer be competition among the usual bushy weeds but may need to be kept free from vine species.

Most cassava varieties mature in eight to ten months where it can produce up to 40 metric tons per hectare. However there are varieties already developed that matures in just 5 months or so, producing as much as 60% of the yield of the more productive but longer gestation strains. These varieties or strains had been developed for food purposes and basically as a famine crop since farmers can time their harvest when other food and feed sources are scarce. There are also strains which are yellowish and are said to contain some amounts of betacarotene and may help supply this essential nutrient which is often critical especially in the development of a more yellowish egg yolk.

Gabi, Palawan or Dagmay:

Gabi, palawan or dagmay (Colocasia esculenta) is another indigenous feed source for native chickens. Though known mainly as a vegetable especially in ginataan (coconut milk) or in jams or jellies, gabi is rich in carbohydrates comparable to carbohydrate levels of sweet potato. However, it contains an irritant called calcium oxalate which is removed when cooked. The leaves are also a feed source for chickens when cooked and is rich in protein at about 18%. Palawan a larger strain of gabi has lesser amounts of calcium oxalate and can be cooked boiled or fried either as a snack item or as a main source of starch in human diets.

As a feed source for chickens, the tubers are usually harvested, chopped finely and cooked together with the leaves and also with other leaf sources of proteins such ipil-ipil (leucaena) and balunggay and meat sources such as snails, fish and meat. The usual ratio of gabi to other sources when cooked should be about 50% and other sources like leaves and rice bran may comprise the rest. The nutrient profile of the cooked gabi-based ration is also improved dramatically with the addition of coconut meat after the milk is extracted (sapal sang lubi) because of the high protein and fat content of coconut meat. This addition will result to a more balanced nutrient profile that would be a good feed alternative for growing chickens.

Gabi is an ideal side or minor crop in wet lowlands planted in deeper portions of the field not anymore suitable for rice planting. It can also be planted along dikes as a border crop for rice where it is easily accessible for harvest once needed. It is easily established using small plants and planted densely in distances of 40 to 50 centimeters. Usually taking 4-5 months, gabi can also be harvested early especially when feed sources become scarce. Some varieties also adopt to dryland planting like the palawan and will produce as much as cassava per plant and with the same ability to grow and produce tubers even without much care and management.

Many varieties are also resistant to pests and diseases that is why gabi is an ideal minor crop which can become a ready source of food and feed. Farmers regularly plant many types for home use and for sale as a cash crop. The major source of gabi found in the markets of Iloilo City is Janiuay and Lambunao where farmers plant this crop as another source of income.

FEEDING NATIVE CHICKENS THE NATURAL WAY (1): Carbohydrates Sources

Raising native chickens can be expensive when the raiser or the household relies on commercial feeds. Without alternative feeds and feeding methods, feed costs can take up as much as 70% of the total production cost. Thus in response to many inquiries over our regular radio show at RMN Sa Uma ni Pinoy segment (8:30 to 9:00 PM Monday to Saturday) we would like to present some alternative feeds and feeding program to those needing to shift to more natural methods in order to lower their cost of producing chickens.

Basic Feeding Guide.

The type and quality of feed given to chickens vary with its age or stage of growth. Usually, chickens like all animals are given high protein and highly digestible feeds early in their lives and as they grow older, the level of protein decreases. Day old chicks are fed with high quality feeds containing 20-22 % protein and as they grow older, the protein level goes down, Grower chickens, usually between 2 to 5 months old are fed with 16-18 % protein while mature chickens can tolerate low proteins diets between 14-16 %.

The regular commercial feed contains about 3,200 kilo calories per kilogram. Lower than that indicates that the feed may be high in fiber and the nutrition is compromised. The calorific requirement of chicks would range at about 20-40 calories while the mature chickens would need about 200 to 320 calories per day.

Native chickens can tolerate poor quality feeds especially when allowed free range. The usual practice nowadays by small raisers is to feed commercial starter rations containing 20% protein to the chicks including the mother hen to give them an early start. This practice usually extends for about 30 days when the chicks have grown feathers to cover their whole body and protect them from extreme cold at night time. Commercial feeds are balanced nutritionally and contain essential amino acids for growth. These amino acids are often hard to come by if chicks are just allowed to free range. The reason behind the practice of feeding high quality ration to the mother hen is for it to recover earlier and start egg laying again by the time the chicks are just over one month old. This way, the hen can lay and hatch about 5-6 times a year.

Once the chicks are big enough for full ranging they are allowed to range freely in the farm lot. The usual practice is for the raiser to feed one half the full feed requirement and let the chickens forage among the grasses and feed on insects, grass grains, earthworms and other feed sources which they may find. It is also the usual practice of farmers to plant many types of grains and food plants so that the chickens can feed freely during the day. Some of the food plants that can be grown on the home or farm lot are:

Corn:

This is the most common and the best energy or carbohydrates source for chickens. Commercial ration contain as much as 45% corn as a source of energy. However corn needs to be managed intensively in order to produce large ears and may need to be sprayed with pesticides to control pests. Corn contains 9% crude protein and is deficient in amino acids like lysine and tryptophan and has to be balanced by protein sources like fish and soybean meal.

As an energy source, corn is an excellent choice because of its high calorific value at 3,600 kilo calories per kilogram of grains. Yellow corn is also high in beta carotene, an essential nutrient that makes the yolk yellow.

Sorghum:

This grain crop is given a fresh attention nowadays. A new strain of sorghum called sweet sorghum is now being promoted by ICRISAT or the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics has bred this dual purpose grain from Africa. The grains are traditionally a staple for humans and livestock it was discovered that some varieties or strains have high sucrose content and can be extracted for processing into molasses or directly as feed stock in ethanol production. Thus, the fresh attention should encourage more farmers to grow this crop as a source of grains for poultry and pigs and as a source of stalks for processing into ethanol when demand comes in.

Sorghum has a better nutrient profile than corn. It has better amino acid content and has a higher protein value at 13%. It also contains as much calories per kilogram at about 3,500 kilo calories per kilogram of grains. However there had been a slow down of local production of sorghum when new high yielding varieties of corn came out of the market especially when multinational seed companies came out with genetically modified varieties that are resistant to the corn borer.

Sorghum is ideal for backyard or small scale chicken production. It can be planted in small lots and can be stocked whole by just hanging the panicles on the rafters of other convenient areas and fed whole as need arises. It can also be ratooned up to four times, meaning, with just one planting, one can harvest and cut the plant about four inches from the ground and it grows again to produce grains in 60-75 days. A head of grain of sorghum can weigh up to 250 grams and per hectare, sorghum can produce between 3.0 to 4.5 metric tons. A flock of 100 chickens would need about 2,000 sq. meters of sorghum to sustain all the energy needs per year.

One does not need to grind sorghum since the size of the grain is just about a munggo seed and thus chickens can easily peck at it from the feeder or from the ground. It can be fed dry or soaked for about eight hours prior to feeding and mixed with other grains like beans and munggo to complete the protein to energy ratio required for growth.

Camote or sweet potato:

Sweet potato or camote is another excellent carbohydrate source for chickens. The root which can be harvested in about 60-75 days is also rich in carbohydrates as well as proteins needed for growth. Being short term, it is an ideal survival feed since it can be harvested earlier than other feeds like corn. Farmers in the rural areas have traditionally fed their free ranged chickens with raw camote which they chop finely or bite sized and spread on feeding troughs in the late afternoon prior to herding the chickens back to the coops for safety against predators. When mature coconut is available, camote is added at a ratio of 75:25 (camote to coconut) to balance the protein-fat-carbohydrate profile. The leaves of camote when finely chopped is also an excellent source of forage for free range chickens. It contains a high level of protein and beta carotene which makes the egg yolk deeper yellow.

Studies at VISCA in Leyte have shown that camote can substitute corn up to 75% in commercial rations and is recommended in home-mixed rations especially for small scale poultry growing because of the ease by which it can be grown and can be harvested when needed when grown nearby. It can also serve as a cash crop as well as substitute staple for the farm family. (To be continued)

AGRIBUSINESS POTENTIALS 2: MUSHROOMS FOR HEALTH AND INCOME

Oyster mushroom emerging from fruiting bags

Mushrooms have always been highly regarded in many ways: a delicacy with exquisite taste and flavor, potent food for health, as cure for a variety of diseases and, as a major source of income. Many countries especially China, Japan, USA and the European countries have a highly developed mushroom production and processing industry. Not only are mushrooms consumed directly as food, there are mushroom species which are highly valued for their curative properties and sold or marketed as supplements, thereby adding more value to the product.

There are only a few growers of mushrooms in Iloilo and Panay. Some are growing the straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea ), called amamakol in Ilonggo and only a few are commercially growing the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus).

Straw mushrooms are relatively easy to grow and its spawn is also easy to produce but its price compared to the less common oyster is much lower. Straw mushroom is usually grown on rice straw, and, banana leaves and stalks. Using the simplified growing system and buying spawns instead of producing it by himself, farmer can produce straw mushroom profitably. However, there may be some problems such as the reliable supply of spawn and the price of the product in the market because mushroom like all other farm products is affected by demand and supply.

Mr Bert Cablas with his oyster mushroom spawns

Oyster mushroom, on the other hand has a higher demand among chefs of restaurants and hotels as it is more delicious and sought after by customers. Fresh oyster mushroom usually found in the supermarket shelves, sell between P400 to P700 per kilogram, depending on the supermarket chain selling it and the source of oyster mushrooms.

One grower of oyster mushroom who is doing well is Mr. Roberto Cablas of Brgy. San Agustin, San Miguel, Iloilo. Mr. Cablas is a high school teacher in the local high school who spends his free time tending to his luffa and mushroom businesses which provides him with additional income for his basic needs and comforts including that of his immediate family. Bert ventured into the mushroom business when a laborer who has experienced oyster mushroom growing offered him a deal where he will finance the operation while the worker will take care of producing the mushroom. The business made good from the start but the worker soon demanded high wages on top of his share from the revenues of the project and this prompted him to learn the business himself starting with the production of the mushroom spawn, the most vital component of the business operation.

Rows of Fruiting Oyster Mushroom bags

He learned the whole technology through a one-on-one session with mushroom expert and professor at the West Visayas State University, Dr. Chris Lopez who taught him everything he needed to know about mushroom culture. Bert only focused on oyster mushroom culture because of the high price it fetches in the market. All his produced are easily sold to his regular buyers which include several big supermarket chains and some restaurants which serve oyster mushrooms as one of their popular dishes.

Oyster mushroom spawns are made in a laboratory where everything is sterile. Contamination of the growing media, potato dextrose agar will destroy the mycelium or the growing fibers that will later become the full grown mushroom once transferred to the growing beds or bags whichever type farmers are producing. In Bert's case, he made a small laboratory in one of the rooms of his house which is the product of his efforts as a teacher and entrepreneur. From this small room, he can produce enough spawns to seed his 150 sq. meters of mushroom house and produce an average of 10 kilograms of mushrooms every day.

The spawn mycelia is grown for at least two weeks inside recycled whiskey bottles where a culture media had been placed. The process is standard but the environment and the method should be kept sterile since even a small contaminant will destroy the whole batch. Once fully grown as evidenced by the profuse growth of the cotton-like mycelia, a culture media made out of sorghum seeds is prepared. Like the first media, this sorghum media is also sterilized by subjecting it in a pressure chamber or autoclave. Once cooled, the spawns are inserted into the media inside the recycled bottles and allowed to grow in the sterile environment for about two weeks also.

Bert Cablas Jr. playing on top of the medium

Meanwhile, the growing area where the mushrooms will be grown is prepared. Seed bags made of sawdust, sugar and calcium carbonate are prepared and sterilized using a large drum that can accommodate 60-80 bags on an hour cycle. Once ready and cooled, the bags are seeded with spawns under sterile conditions and allowed to germinate before being transferred to the growing area where the environment is conducive to the growth of mushrooms. After two to three weeks, full grown oyster mushrooms will start to emerge from the seeded bags and are harvested daily.

Bert's oyster mushroom project has served him well in the last ten years or so, having produced an average of 10 kilograms per day where all his produce is immediately sold to ready buyers who meet up with the price he has set. One of his outlets is Iloilo's first supermarket chain which has offered his products to his customers regularly. Bert delivers every Monday to this chain.

Being grown in sterile conditions and using chemical free substrates, the comercially grown oyster mushrooms can be classified as natural food. Mushrooms, especially oysters mushrooms react to chemicals by either retardation or total mortality. Through his years as a mushroom grower, Bert has experimented with various methods including adding synthetic substances which led to the failure of some batches. So he stuck to what Dr. Chris Lopez taught and thereby succeeding with each batch and ensuring a steady stream of income from the project.

“My luffa and mushroom businesses had provided me not only with financial independence but the inner satisfaction that I have succeeded not only professionally but also financially. I have some savings and investments all coming from the business. Unlike many teachers who have to eke out survival with the meager salary, my efforts during my spare time has paid off. But aside from the financial rewards, the satisfaction of having employed regular workers who would otherwise fine seasonal employment and income and, by helping the rest of my siblings is more than what I have bargained for”, said Bert.

Mr. Roberto Cablas being a true teacher, said that he is willing to teach anybody who would be serious in going into the business of growing oyster mushrooms. “Teaching others is my way of paying forward what I have reaped so far. I have years of utmost profitability and I have enjoyed the rewards of good income from the business. I have some investments that will assure the future of my son and other relatives and for me I have that responsibility to help others especially those who need it most but are willing to work hard to achieve success.

Like Mr Roberto Cablas, one can succeed in oyster mushroom business with the right technology, perseverance and clear target of where you want to bring the business.

AGRIBUSINESS POTENTIALS FOR ILOILO: Native Chickens Production

 “Western Visayas alone needs between 2,000 to 3,000 heads of native chickens every day and more during the peak months starting November to May each year and the supply at most is just a fraction of this demand”, says Dr. Jaime Cabarles, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Central Philippine University.

That is why those who specialize in “native lechon manok” can't get enough supply of live native chickens. The price of native lechon manok is almost twice that of the ordinary broiler chicken lechon. Yet the demand for this Ilonggo delicacy continues to grow because of its unique taste. Native chickens have a higher concentration of the taste enhancing and naturally occurring amino acids called glutamic acid and aspartic acid, according to Mr. George Roxas and Mr. Ray Arenga, the key men in the Darag Native Chicken Program of the West Visayas State University.

Native chickens are those which are said to be indigenous or endemic to a specific location, in this case, the country. Since the country is archipelagic, there are many kinds of native chickens in the country, mostly region-based. So the native chickens in the Visayas cluster of islands are generally called “Bisaya” while those in Southern Luzon are called Tagalog but those in the Bicol Region are called differently.

But the area of origin is not significant in terms of the basic interest by which these types of chickens are raised. Native chickens are hardy, thrive on feeds which they can forage and find in the vicinity and on whatever the farmers will be able to provide. The most important consideration by which native chickens are preferred by consumers is the distinct flavor of the native chickens compared to the broiler chickens that has become familiar among consumers. The latter is raised in just 30 days or less where it has already reached the market size of 1.2 kilograms. At 30 days old when slaughtered, the meat of the broiler chicken tastes bland compared to the more flavorful native chicken which reaches about 800 grams at 3 to 4 months (90-120 days) of age.

The demand for native chickens continues to grow due to shifting trends such as growing awareness for healthy food, antibiotic free food and for unique dishes endemic to a specific area. The growth in regional tourism has also helped increase demand. Native chicken lechon is a tourism destination in itself where tourists flock to the popular restaurants serving this unique lechon in Iloilo City. Each municipality in the Province of Iloilo has also their own unique way of cooking native chicken like the Tinuom of Cabatuan, the Linabugan of Calinog and Bingawan and the Alumpirang Manok of Dingle. The common denominator in these dishes is the young native chicken slaughtered at about 120 days old where experts claim that it is the best age where the flavor enhancing amino acids have the highest concentration.

“We cannot raise enough native chickens to meet existing and much more, future demand. Even now that we are concentrating on the endemic chicken of Western Visayas, the Darag”, said George Roxas. The name is derived from the color of the hen which is similar to the dried leaves on the ground. This color had been developed by the wild chickens as a means to camouflage so that they won't be easily detected by predators. The darag chicken like the other endemic chickens of other regions have the same characteristics which make it a highly favored strain. “However the inflow of exotic breeds imported to supposedly improve the size and other characters perceived to improve production had somehow diluted or reduced some of the characters which had made the darag a desired breed”. The same intrusion of these exotic breed has also impaired the once wide genetic pool and had therefore limited the source of desired individuals which can be made into parent line for the breed. “We regularly going around the region looking for outstanding specimens of the darag chickens so that we can build up our genetic pool as a means to further improve the breed. Our gene pool in three locations, namely one at the main campus of the WVSU and two at the Calinog campus assures us of genetically strong individuals which we think can help us sustain our genetic requirements for mass production in the coming years. However, we still have to sustain our efforts so that we will not run out of individuals which will sustain our need for strong parent lines in the future”.

Due to the information campaign not only by the school but also by other government agencies, the attention on the darag chicken has perked up in recent years. More and more farmers have started producing this strain and the demand for chicks of true to type parent lines have increased. We have a long list of customers and clients who have ordered chicks for commercial operation and our production system cannot meet the demand right now, said Mr. Arenga.

The opportunity areas for native chickens are many but for now, the most imperative are the supply of breeders or parent lines and the commercial aspect of young broiler age at 0 to 120 days old. “Those who have availed of our strain the last three or four years should be in the position to grow and supply commercial grade chicks which can be grown for the meat market. Those who also know how to breed and maintain the purity of their breeds should also focus on producing breeders for sale to other farmers who are interested to get into the segment. Mr. Roxas estimates the demand for breeders to run to several thousands and only a small percentage can be met at this point.

Another growth direction is the supply of organic or naturally grown chickens. The trend for healthier food has given birth to the demand for organically or naturally grown food and this is also true for chickens and other livestock. Growing chickens the organic and natural way may be difficult but not impossible. Ms. Soljane Capague, a technical personnel at the Iloilo Provincial Agriculture Office, says that the Natural Farming System developed by Japanese and Korean scientists offer farmers an alternative and safe way to raise chickens. It also teaches farmers how to use indigenous plants for feed and to strengthen the immune system of chickens to resist attacks of diseases as well as control ecto and endo parasites. These indigenous plants can be planted and produced right on the farm or backyard of the farmers.

The natural farming system also teaches farmers to harness beneficial microorganisms to help them out in their farming efforts. Concoctions like Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO), fermented fruit juice, fermented plant juice and others have specific purposes in the overall system which will enable the farmer not only to grow healthy chickens but save much on feeds and veterinary medicines which comprise up to 70% of the cost of production.

Under the natural farming system, it is estimated that it will cost the farmer about P75.00 to grow a chicken from chick to marketable size. With commercial feeds, the cost is much higher at P110.00. Therefore if the farmer sells at P140.00 per head, he earns more per head using the natural system than growing his chickens on commercial feeds.

Prices per head of native chicken varies per season. During the peak season where demand is high, native chickens sell for as high as P180.00 per head while it goes down to as low as P80.00 during off-peak particularly during enrollment and rainy months when the priorities of people center on school fees and other essential expense areas.

“The demand for native chickens may never be met unless we have a definite program which involves all actors, from government to financial institutions, and most important of all- farmers who would develop commercial level operations that can assure consistent supply of both slaughter and breeder native chickens.

GAMEFOWL INDUSTRY BENEFITS SMALL BREEDERS IN OTON, ILOILO

The Philippines is now acknowledged as the center of the game fowl industry of the world after the game fowl raising and its attendant sport, cockfighting haVE become an outlawed activity in the United States of America. While no exact figures can be gathered, the industry is booming and is impacting a wide cross section of the economy and social life of Filipinos.

Ilonggos and Negrenses are known widely as the pioneers of scientific breeding and the fowls raised in these parts and fowls coming from here are sold to all parts of the country at prices higher than those locally grown there. We also have the reputation of having the knack for selecting the better fighters and this had added to a reputation of excellence among breeders big and small.

Aside from the ubiquitous gamefowls, there are many other income earning sub-industries within the large industry system that when studied closely would show that the game fowl industry is one that should be promoted enhanced and preserved. Game fowl raising needs support sub-system players like the makers of tie-cords so that the roosters are anchored in place and makers of tepees or the structures that shade them from the harsh elements. There are also those who make other paraphernalia like gloves for chickens, tapes, scabbards and knives. These artisans are otherwise unemployed and their income derived from these livelihood activities are their only means to support their families and send their children to school.

Take the case of two small scale breeders in Brgy. San Nicolas, Oton, Iloilo. Nelson “Tandok” Tingzon had been growing gamefowls for more than 20 years already. He recalls that even as a child he helped his father take care of their chickens which when sold provide food and some extras for other necessities. Rommel Planta has an almost the same story. He also grew up around chickens and he loved the selling aspect because he and his friends can sell their chickens at several times the price of chickens intended for meat.

 Nelson and Rommel have no other means of livelihood except raising game fowls. Being already well-versed on the breeding aspect, they make sure that their breeders are well selected and often, they come from known breeders or from their buyers who want them to breed a certain type which they will exclusively buy from him. And they don't simply take the word of others when it comes to selection. They have their own set of criteria developed through their long years of hands-on breeding.

Breeding for true to type individuals and for performance.

One breed that they both maintain are the Sweater fowls, said to be originated by Mr. Sweater McGinnis, an American breeder of the 1930s to the 1950s. These fowls are light red, bordering on pumpkin color and are well liked by many because of their fighting style and is said to be one of the outstanding breeds in the Philippine cockfighting scene. Nelson and Romel have their own version of the Sweaters and they say that each year they sell more than 100 each for this type of fowl. What they breed it with is their secret though. They say that they mate their outstanding Sweater brood cocks with hens whose brothers have also performed in the pit as fought by their buyers.

They also have other breeds like the High Action Hatch crossed or tinted with Mc Lean or Gilmore blood, both of which are green or blue legged types which are said to provide speed, power and gameness. Nelson says that he bred his High Action Hatch hens to a Gilmore Hatch brood cock provided to him by Dr. Pepe Sullano. He is very happy with the offsprings since he has already sold more than 60 heads at a good price of not less than P4,500.00 each. With that sales alone he said that he has already recovered ;his feed expenses for this year and expect that the more than 150 stags that are still maturing will somehow bring him more than what he expects.

Rommel on the other hand had been supplied by his customers and friends with top rated brood materials. “I would not like to divulge the friends and customers who provided my brood stocks because they want it that way. They also have exclusive right to my stags that is why every stock that I raise is considered sold already. I cannot produce enough because it gets sold anyway”, says Rommel. Both he and Nelson are still breeding this off-season (May to September) because there are buyers who still buy those late produce since cockfighting is non-stop especially in Manila.

Game fowl raising as a way of life.

“Breeding game fowls have been my main occupation since I got married from which I have raised my family. My eldest son had graduated and is already on board a ship as a sailor and I have high hopes that like the other seamen who had prospered, he will also help us economically as he progresses in his career. My second son is graduating from the Hotel and Restaurant Management course. My youngest is still in the elementary grades. With tuition fees and their daily school needs so expensive these days I culd not have afforded their schooling had I just taken manual labor which pays minimum wage”, says Nelson.

Everybody in the family helps. His wife being very supportive tends to the incubator and the chicks that is why they can hatch more than 500 each year and on a 50/50 ratio of males to females, they can easily mature 250 or more stags or cockerels every year. Nelson and his children tend to feeding and other chores. We use only the best feeds available to other breeders and feeders of game fowls. “We don't scrimp on feeds because it shows on the health, size, height and conformation of the stags and cocks we produce. Since cockfighting is competitive and there is only one bottom line which is to win, our buyers demand value for their money”.

Both Nelson and Rommel provide employment indirectly to others in the neighborhood. Their tepees are made by laborers who charge them P120.00 per unit and Rommel said that the materials cost about P50-60 and the rest is labor for the makers. A maker he said can make 5-6 units daily with some help, often from their own children. They also need 500 or so tie cords which they use to anchor the legs of their chickens. A tie cord costs P8.00 per unit so between the two of us, we buy about P8,000 worth of tie cords every year. A family making these can produce this in two weeks' time and their cost of materials is just about P3,000 thus making for them an income of about P5,000.00 in two weeks.

Game fowl breeding provides food directly and indirectly. Indirectly, when the choice stags and cocks are sold at a good price and used to buy rice and other food items. Directly, when undersized and culls are slaughtered for the table. Extra eggs are also eaten, often hard boiled and brought by the children to school as snacks. “Our children are healthy and active because they get to eat high levels of protein from chicken meat and eggs”, says Rommel.

The game is now competitive. With two major federations of breeders nationwide and an almost non-stop competition, the demand for quality stags and cocks have increased. We are often visited by buyers who say that they were referred by their friends who have bought from us and want to buy the same types as those bought in the previous years because they said that they saw them win. We cannot refuse them and they just added to our list of customers.

“We don't fight our roosters anymore. Our buyers do it for us. We just sell and somehow these buyers come back year after year because they are satisfied with the stocks they bought. Since we also improve our breeds according to their suggestions, they usually buy the new offspring where they had a hand in selecting the brood stocks.

“This is our livelihood and our passion. While some may say that this is gambling, for us this is survival and our chance for a better life. We have not finished school and we don't have other means to support our families. We cannot leave this industry that has provided us with a decent life”, both Rommel and Nelson concluded.