Batac city: The Philippine Carabao Center is expanding its carabao upgrading program to the different towns of Ilocos Norte with the help of local government units (LGUs) to boost rural income. Interviewed in Batac City on Monday, Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) director Joel Cabading reported that carabao milk production in the Ilocos Region has doubled in the past three years.

According to Philippines News Agency, from 50,000 liters per year, the region is now producing 100,000 liters, and this achievement was reached by October. Cabading credited the national government's program on genetically improving the Philippine carabao breed, which has produced 145,181 genetically improved calves over the last five years. Approximately 90% of these calves are intended for milk and meat purposes, while the remaining 10% are designated for draft power.

In Ilocos Norte, some of these genetically improved animals have been entrusted to farmers' organizations in areas such as Dingras and Badoc towns. Farmers in these regions are now harvesting milk to supply the local market. Beyond milk production, the PCC is aiding farmers by linking them to institutional buyers and government feeding initiatives like the Department of Education's School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development's Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP). This market channel alone has generated PHP2.4 billion from 2019 to 2024 for the SBFP and PHP504 million from 2020 to 2024 for the SFP nationwide, as reported by the PCC.

Cabading noted that other LGUs in the province have shown support for boosting the dairy farming industry by allocating funds for the purchase of carabaos for milk production. Initially, the Pagudpud government purchased 20 female crossbred buffaloes to jumpstart dairy farming in Barangay Caparispisan. Plans are underway to add 100 more buffaloes from the Philippine Coconut Authority, funded under the coconut levy fund.

There is an ongoing livestock enterprise and economic development project with 20 buffaloes to enhance carabao milk production in Dingras town. This project is a collaboration between the PCC, the municipal government, and the Mariano Marcos State University. The price of a liter of raw carabao milk has increased from PHP63.27 in 2020 to PHP84.87. Carabao milk and carabao-based products are gaining popularity in the local market as they are promoted in government-organized trade fairs and Kadiwa stores.