POTENTIAL BIZ ALLIANCE. Dr. Renante Decena (2nd from right), head of the Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office, meets with the representatives of Unimax Inc. at his office in Bacolod City on Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2020). The PVO is eyeing a partnership with the Indonesian company in the implementation of the province’s cattle fattening project. (Photo courtesy of PVO-Negros Occidental)
BACOLOD CITY -- The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental is eyeing a partnership with an Indonesian company in the implementation of the province’s cattle fattening project.
Dr. Renante Decena, the provincial veterinarian, said on Wednesday he met with representatives of Unimax Inc. from Indonesia here on Tuesday to discuss a possible linkage. The provincial government is also eyeing a sisterhood agreement with Lampung Province in Indonesia, he added.
The aim is to develop the “Negros Beef” and position Negros Occidental as the center of cattle production in the Visayas.
“We will formally discuss this with Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson next week. We can have a business proposal for both provinces,” Decena said.
He said prices of beef and feed ingredients in Negros Occidental are cheaper by about 35 percent compared to the rates in Indonesia.
“One of our diversified industries is beef cattle especially the Halal type. The partner-company may fatten their cattle here and export this to Indonesia as meat,” the PVO chief said.
Both the public and private sector in Negros Occidental have been initiating measures to strengthen the local cattle industry, including the conduct of the cattle fattening and marketing seminar last year.
The demand for beef in the province is 8,850 metric tons at per capita consumption of 2.95 kilograms.
However, the available supply is only 5,000 metric tons from the current population of about 55,000 heads. (PNA)
