Foundation University in Dumaguete City is the recipient of a P5 million grant from the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) for the establishment of a breeder farm for the Itik Pinas variety of ducks.
Itik Pinas is the improved breed of Philippine mallard duck or the native duck of Pateros in the National Capital Region (NCR), which was developed by the DoST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).
Researchers from DoST-PCAARRD conducted a thorough process of selection, breeding, and purification among the Philippine mallard ducks.
This resulted to the so-called Itik Pinas variety, which possesses uniform characteristics and promises to be more reliable in terms of egg production.
The College of Agriculture of Foundation University will be responsible for operating the breeder farm of the particular variety of Itik Pinas, that will distribute ducks to interested farmers or duck raisers in Negros Oriental.
“The partnership aims to provide a stable supply of duck eggs in the province. It also aims to address the demand for balut (fertilized duck egg) and other food products derived from duck eggs, which are rich in protein and other nutrients,” explained Atty. Gilbert Arbon, DoST provincial director.
Moreover, Arbon added that the province gets most of its balut outside Negros Oriental, specifically from Central Luzon. “Imagine if we have our own breeding facility dire, ang atoang mga duck farmer need not go to Luzon, Mindanao, or Western Visayas to get starter kits (Imagine if we have our own breeding facility here, our duck farmers need not go to Luzon, Mindanao, or Western Visayas to get starter kits),” Arbon said.
He elaborated that among other products that can be derived from duck eggs are salted eggs (itlog na maalat) that can be used for pastries and other baked products.
Joebert Kleine Koerkamp, dean of Foundation University’s College of Agriculture, welcomed this partnership with DoST, noting that this would highly benefit the province because of an increase in duck egg production.
Koerkamp shared that in 2022, the province imported three million duck eggs for balut and salted egg production.
If this collaboration succeeds, Koerkamp believes duck farmers and raisers will no longer have to import duck eggs from other places as this would result to an increased production of duck eggs locally.
“Students will be involved in the process, but the main objective is to increase the production of duck eggs in the province. Itik Pinas is a breed that we think can help because it can produce around 50 eggs more per year. In agriculture, predictability is important,” Koerkamp said.
Based on an article posted in the DoST-PCAARRD’s website, Itik Pinas ducks can lay 257 eggs per year with an average weight of 65 grams, which is suited for balut production.
Koerkamp said this partnership is expected to take off in November this year up to January next year.
A training will be held for interested duck raisers in November to orient and capacitate them on the methods of raising Itik Pinas varieties.
Those interested to raise Itik Pinas are required to give a counterpart in terms of providing feeds, housing, and complete attendance in the said trainings. – NWI
