DA organizes animal auction market in North Cotabato
ALEOSAN, North Cotabato ---With
the joint venture of Department of Agriculture – AgriBusiness and Marketing
Assistance Service (DA- AMAS), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), its counterpart
in the Department of Agriculture XII and the local government of Aleosan in
North Cotabato, the first ever operational Livestock Oksyon Market (LOM) in
SOCCSKSARGEN was successfully launched Barangay New Panay.The LOM was in operation after the designated staff was identified and all the needed
facilities were installed which will upgrade the process in the auction of
livestock.
Part of the launching
was the kick-off of the use of the digital weighing scale using Philippine
National Standard.
Aleosan Mayor Vicente Suropia and other local government officials, facilitators from
DA-AMAS, BAI and other farmers witnessed the undertaking.
Meanwhile, with the
assistance of DA AMAS, Mayor Vicente Sorupia explained to those who attended
the benefits of the said operation.
The modern operation
of LOM gives promise to both sellers and buyers to get the accurate and exact
price and weight of the livestock, Sorupia said.
The facility is
worth P3.9-M and funded by the Bureau of Animal Industry, DA-12 Executive Director Engr. Milagros C.
Casis, said.Auctioneers in
Aleosan were used before to what they called mata mata system (they weigh the
animals by just looking without using weighing scale) in selling their
livestock that is why there is no accurate weight, but with the advent of a
modern facility, livestock trading in the town will soon prosper.
Before the launching
ceremony, the operators and farmers underwent a three-day orientation and workshop
on the operation and management of LOM.