New poultry dressing plant opens in Cotabato

Cotabato province is strengthening its position as an agribusiness hub in Mindanao with the opening of a new semi-automated poultry dressing plant operated by Alpha-3 Chicken Dressing Services Corp.

The facility in Barangay Saguing, Makilala, began operations in August and was inspected on Sept. 8 by Vice Governor Rochella Marie Taliño Taray. The plant, owned by Bonilyn Espina-Duque and managed by Aries Christe Aaron Duque, processes 25,000 chickens per 12-hour shift and employs 150 local workers.

The company plans to expand to a two-shift operation, which would double its daily capacity to 50,000 birds and increase its workforce to 250 to 300. The semi-automated system includes conveyors, evisceration lines, and chilling units designed to ensure high-quality output and support contract growers throughout the province.

Taray encouraged the company to consider future expansion within the Cotabato Agro-Industrial Park (CAIP) in M’lang, which is being developed for crop processing and logistics.

“We are fast-tracking CAIP’s registration with BOI and PEZA so we can offer greater incentives to investors,” Taray said. “Proper zoning is also being put in place to serve halal exporters and attract more locators.”The plant’s operations are also expected to stimulate allied industries, including feed supply, cold storage and logistics, the company said.