The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it launched a feed distribution initiative to support duck raisers in Pampanga province.
As part of the DA’s broader efforts to strengthen livestock farming, particularly poultry, the project aims to boost farmers’ income and enhance food security.
Central Luzon, home to more than half of the nation’s duck population, leads in both duck meat and egg production, contributing 27 percent of the national duck meat supply and 56 percent of duck eggs.
The region recorded a total duck inventory of 4.9 million in 2024, with Pampanga alone accounting for nearly 60 percent.
Considering the rising costs of feeds, the DA rolled out several support measures, including free avian influenza testing, feed assistance, and post-harvest facilities.
Under the feed assistance program, registered duck raisers in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) are likely to receive between 9 and 17 bags of feed, each weighing 50 kilograms. Support ranges from P15,000 to P28,000 per recipient.
To qualify, duck raisers should own at least 100 ducks, with aid capped at 2,000 ducks per farm, regardless of the number registered in the RSBSA.
Nearly 1,000 duck raisers from Pampanga’s fourth district, including those from Candaba, San Luis, San Simon and Apalit, will benefit from the initiative, which aims to stabilize the industry and boost productivity.
The DA plans to refine the program into a multi-year initiative and expand it to other regions.
“Though small, this feed distribution initiative provides vital support to our Kabalen in the duck industry, who work tirelessly to help achieve a food-secure Philippines and a more prosperous agricultural sector,” said Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.