FORTY-TWO residents of La Carlota City, mostly backyard animal raisers, and employees of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental attended the training on meat processing.

The two-day training initiated by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas in collaboration with PVO was held at the Provincial Livestock Breeding Center and Dairy Farm, Barangay La Granja in La Carlota last week.

PVO Value-adding Coordinator Margrette Gerzon trained the participants in making chorizo, longanisa, ham, corned beef, siomai, tocino and burger patty.

Participants were also taught of the basic marketing management to enhance their skills and competencies in managing their future meat processing business.

Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said meat processing is an alternative source of income as frozen meat is in demand.

Decena said the training basically aims to impart to the participants the knowledge and skills on food processing through low cost, clean and nutritious meat as raw materials.

It is also seen as an opportunity among animal raisers to maximize other potential sources of livelihood aside from animal raising, he said.

"This will enable them to sell not only live animals but also meat products through value-adding," the provincial veterinarian added.

Meat processing training is an initiative of the provincial government geared towards poverty reduction.

PVO continues to work on creating business opportunities among its employees and animal raisers in the province.