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Two hundred and five duck (205) egg producers in four provinces (Iloilo, Nueva Ecija,Pampanga, and Quezon) of the Philippines, were surveyed in 2003 using a pre-tested questionnaire. They were asked about their socio demographic and farm characteristics, their income sources and problems encountered in the production and marketing of duck eggs, as well as their access to capital and awareness of government programs and participation in extension services through farmers’ organizations. Results showed that farm sizes, farm management practices, and performance in duck farming varied among the respondents across different areas covered by the study. Further, duck farmers in the Philippines generally lacked the technical know how and access to capital and extension services, and have encountered serious problems in production and marketing of duck products. One policy recommendation is that the training of extension workers to further enhance their technical know how on duck raising and the provision of extension services to duck farmers can help avoid production constraints and improve productivity. Secondly, the emphasis on egg and 'balut' production means that the future prospects of the industry depend heavily on the future demand for 'balut' and the ability of the duck sector to compete with other products in terms of price and product quality. This means that better understanding of the market demand for 'balut' through research is as important as avoiding technical constraints in duck egg production. |
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