San jose: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday assured farmers of the government's continuing efforts to reduce the role of middlemen in the farm-to-market chain to help producers gain greater value from their products. Marcos made the statement during his visit to the Batangas Egg Producers Multipurpose Cooperative (BEPCO) in San Jose, Batangas, where he underscored the importance of interagency coordination in boosting agricultural production and adding value to farm products.
According to Philippines News Agency, accompanied by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Marcos inspected BEPCO's PHP300-million egg processing facility in Barangay Don Luis, San Jose, Batangas, which is known as the country's egg capital. He cited the support extended by government agencies to BEPCO, particularly the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for developing egg-processing technologies and the Department of Agriculture (DA) for providing machinery and establishing systems for egg collection and processing.
Marcos emphasized that the initiative is part of the government's ongoing efforts to eliminate intermediaries between farmers and the market, enhancing the value that producers can derive from their products. BEPCO's processing facility, designed to add value to an estimated seven million to 10 million eggs produced daily, aims to process eggs into various products, thereby preserving the harvest and generating additional value.
The technology developed by the DOST and funded by the DA focuses on producing liquid and pasteurized eggs using good manufacturing practices to ensure food safety and extend shelf life. Marcos highlighted that the processing system minimizes waste by utilizing eggs that might otherwise remain unsold, characterizing the initiative as a 'circular business' where little to nothing goes to waste while producers benefit from value-added processing.
Marcos noted that the project is still in its pilot stage, with plans to install additional machinery to increase production capacity. The facility features an upgraded pasteurization line capable of processing 1,400 kilos of liquid egg per hour, with finished products undergoing strict quality control, including microbiological testing for Salmonella, as well as labeling before dispatch.
To further support the initiative, the DA provided a three-story cold storage facility through a PHP50-million grant to extend the shelf life of eggs. The facility can store up to 80 tons of finished products and includes a spray-drying operation that converts liquid egg into powdered egg white, yolk, and whole egg, extending shelf life to up to two years.
