DA tells Negrenses: It’s safe to eat chicken

FILE: Negros Occidental leads in native chicken production, with a yield of almost 5.13 million heads in 2016. (Photo by Department of Agriculture, Public Domain)

BACOLOD CITY— The Department of Agriculture (DA) here has encouraged residents to eat chicken because Negros Occidental is free from avian flu virus.

To show that it is safe to eat chicken and other poultry products, DA-Negros Island Region Director Joyce Wendam on Friday led a boodle fight here where agency personnel and a group of farmer-raisers and producers consumed chicken dishes and boiled eggs with organic rice, tomatoes, and bananas.

Wendam said the bird flu outbreak in Luzon also caused the drop in consumption of chicken in Negros Occidental. It is manifested in the slight decrease in prices of chicken, she added.

“We are enjoining the people in Negros Occidental to help create and sustain a resilient poultry sector by patronizing local products amid the pressing industry challenges,” the DA official said.

Wendam said the livestock and poultry industry is vital to the province’s economy. Consumers play a critical role in sustaining it, she added.

Negros Occidental leads in native chicken production, with a yield of almost 5.13 million heads in 2016.

It also remains as the country’s major gamefowl producer, with a production of 25,000 to 50,000 heads every month.