MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. led the inauguration on Thursday of San Miguel Foods’ Magnolia Poultry Farm in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur- the country’s largest poultry facility and the first of 12 mega-farms the company will build across the country.
The poultry farm, which can produce up to 80 million birds per year, equivalent to 200 million kilos of live weight, is set to revolutionize poultry production in the Philippines ensuring a more stable and cost-competitive chicken supply.
It will complement San Miguel Foods’ existing nationwide contract growing program and provide additional livelihood and business opportunities for local farmers.
It is a significant stride towards bolstering the country’s food security.
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S.Ang said: “Food security is one of the most important issues of our time. Today, we reinforce our support for the Marcos administration in ensuring a food-secure Philippines. Our goal is to provide every Filipino with access to high-quality food at prices within their means. Poultry, one of the most economical source of protein, is vital to achieving this.”
He added: “By investing in the latest technological advancements in poultry farming, we can efficiently grow and harvest chickens at a faster rate while prioritizing their well-being. This allows us to consistently produce healthy chickens of premium quality and meet current and future demand for safe and affordable products for consumers nationwide.”
Ang also said that through the new Magnolia Poultry Farm, advanced husbandry technology and best practices in animal health and nutrition can combine to benefit not just Filipino consumers but also local farmers.
“This farm alone will create some 1,000 direct and indirect jobs, benefiting mostly people in nearby communities. There is also a big opportunity for our local corn and cassava farmers, who can directly supply us raw materials for chicken feeds production. This means they benefit from having a steady market for their goods, and at better selling prices compared to what they would get from middlemen,” Ang noted.
The company is also taking care not to impact small growers, by carefully selecting areas where farms will be built, and producing mostly dressed chickens for value-added poultry products and institutional customers.
The new Magnolia Poultry Farm is composed of 28 modules with five farmhouses each, a set-up that promotes animal comfort. Each farmhouse will have sufficient space vertically and horizontally to allow birds freedom of movement.
Their design also incorporates controlled climate technology, stringent biosecurity measures, automated feeding and watering system, air quality monitoring system and automated harvesting system.
Ang said that automating processes, enforcing strict biosecurity measures, and making sure chickens live in a stress-free environment, help ensure chickens can grow healthy without the need for antibiotics.
All of the plant’s features ensure optimal conditions for the well-being of the birds, reflecting San Miguel Foods’ commitment to ethical and humane farming practices. Also, as the farm is strategically located near the San Miguel Foods’ poultry processing facility, risks to the chicken’s health and quality after they leave the farm, are also minimized.
The poultry farm also integrates sustainability principles that align with SMC’s environmental goals. It has integrated rainwater harvesting and a comprehensive waste management system.
Notably, manure produced by the birds will be utilized as fertilizer for cultivating corn and cassava, essential raw materials in the production of chicken feeds. (ai/mnm)
