Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said the sheep dispersal program geared towards making Negros Occidental the lamb capital of Negros Occidental is one of the most successful programs of the provincial government.

The sheep imported by the provincial government are multiplying and will have a big impact on the economy of Negros, he said.

The provincial government sold 3,965 sheep to 119 buyers, of which 54 are local government units and 65 are from the private sector for P76,478,500 payable in three year.

The governor said the payment is due in three years, so there is nothing wrong even if it has not been fully collected yet.

The island born-sheep from the original stock from Australia are in demand because they are already acclimatized, he said.

Many high-end restaurants in Manila are already wanting to buy lamb meat from Negros Occidental but the province cannot meet the demand yet, he said.

We are limiting the number of sheep being slaughtered while we are building our stock, he said.

The purchase of more male high breed sheep next year is also being considered to further boost the Negros stock, he said.

Chef Panos Georgopoulos who joined the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival last week, was impressed by the tenderness of the lamb meat produced in Negros, the governor said.

“Georgopoulos plans to return to Negros to help us with our sheep industry,” the governor said.

The chef pointed out that, aside from the lamb meat, sheep skin can be used to make such items as shoes that sell for as much as $800, and their milk makes the best cheese, the governor said, in stressing the economic prospects of the province’s sheep industry.*CPG

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