Negros Occidental: ‘Balut’ shortage reported

BACOLOD CITY — There are not enough balut or fertilized egg embryoes that are boiled or steamed in Negros Occidental today.

This as the province is not producing enough balut to fill the demand for this exotic Filipino food delicacy.

According to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, the demand for balut in the province is one million eggs per month.

But at present, Negros Occidental is producing only about 250,000 to 300,000 eggs per month.

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Lacson, in an interview on Feb. 14, said the ban on the importation of eggs from Luzon because of the bird flu scare has contributed to the drop in supply.

The governor distributed P2 million worth of support packages for balut production to former rebel groups and farmers’ associations in Negros Occidental on Friday.

He expressed hopes that by initially supplying them with incubators, breeder ducks, and duck feeds, they would be able to fill the gap of about 700,000 to 750,000 eggs a month.

The Itik Pinas Raising for Balut and Salted Egg Project, through the Provincial Veterinary Office, aims to address the gap in the supply of balut in the province, provide livelihood opportunities to farmers and former rebels, and support the province’s food sufficiency initiatives.

The project recipients are the Kapatiran San Carlos City Chapter, Kapatiran Para Sa Progresong Panlipunan Cadiz City Chapter, Kapatiran Locotan Chapter in Kabankalan City, and Kapatiran Talacdan Chapter in Cauayan.