Wednesday, May 17, 2017
The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce plans to firm up partnerships with the provincial government next month for improving the cattle and buffalo industry in Negros Occidental.
MBCCI chief executive officer Frank Carbon said that they will propose a Public-Private Partnerships with the province to improve the meat and milk production of local cattle and buffalos, using technology and research support from the Northern Territory of Australia.
Carbon, who was part of the delegation of the province is exploring trade and industry opportunities in Australia, this could be a huge opportunity for Negros to improve its meat industry as the country is dependent on buying imported meat which is cheaper than the produce of local breeds.
Negros Occ. Gov. Alfredo Marañonsaid buffalos from the Northern Territory will be imported.
“If we can improve the local breeds through the technology we saw in the North Territory, there is a possibility that the province can compete in the market and produce high-quality meat like the imported ones,” the MBCCI head said.
A concept proposal of MBCCI, stated that a private group is interested in a joint venture with the provincial government to manage the Negros First Ranch and Carbon added that the facility has the capacity to support 1,500 breeder animals. This will be advantage if Negros Occidental will pursue the eyed partnerships with the Australian state.
Carbon said the technology the MBCCI and the province are interestedin are the genetic improvement of the local cattle and buffalos, as well as acquiring these livestock from the North Territory and improving the grass and forage.
He also said that the province is ready to adopt the technology and research done in Australia as Negros has around 43,000 cattle and buffalo heads available for production.
Carbon added that the delegates from the North Territory might go to the province next month to further explore possible partnerships, especially in the cattle industry.
With the possibility of learning more about agriculture from Australia, Carbon said that they will conduct training programs for local farmers and para-veterinarians to upgrade their skills related to the industry.
“If we can produce the same quality as that of the North Territory, Negros can compete with the bigger markets, given that the cost of labor here is cheaper that in other countries,” he said. *
