Vol. 4 No. 1 (2025): The QUEST: Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development
Articles

Supply Chain Analysis of Carabao Milk from Smallholder Farms in the Province of Nueva Ecija: Basis for Strategic Plan

  • Catherine Alyssa Licudo,
  • Mark Edrian Macaso
Catherine Alyssa Licudo
PHILIPPINE CARABAO CENTER
Mark Edrian Macaso
Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.60008/thequest.v4i1.241

Published 06/30/2025

Keywords

  • Carabao Milk Production,
  • Carabao Milk Processing,
  • Carabao Milk Distribution,
  • Smallholder Farmers,
  • Strategic Plan

How to Cite

Licudo, C. A., & Macaso, M. E. (2025). Supply Chain Analysis of Carabao Milk from Smallholder Farms in the Province of Nueva Ecija: Basis for Strategic Plan. The QUEST: Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.60008/thequest.v4i1.241

Copyright (c) 2025 The QUEST: Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Abstract

The carabao milk supply chain in the Philippines remains underdeveloped, indicating a 45% decline in regional milk output from 1.26 to 1.04 thousand metric tons between 2022 and 2023 (PSA, 2023). In this context, the study aimed to profile smallholder farmers, analyze the factors influencing the supply chain, identify the challenges within the carabao milk supply chain, and propose a strategic plan for efficient and effective management. This research employed data collection through one-on-one interviews and analysis using frequency distribution and means to identify key factors and indicators affecting the overall supply chain. It reveals that smallholder carabao farmers is predominantly aging with limited youth involvement. The majority are married and have attained a high school level of education. Typically, they own only a few carabaos and belong to the low-income class. In terms of supply chain inputs, farmers strongly agree that they have adequate access to pasture, water, and veterinary services, but minimal in practicing grazing methods and concentrate feeding. Meanwhile, the overall production practices were rated lower than the average, with insufficient use of modern technologies and skilled laborer, despite recognizing feed quality as essential. Milk processing practices were relatively strong in hygiene standards, although on-site pasteurization is less commonly practiced. Accordingly, the distribution aspect showed mixed results, with delivery and logistics systems performing well, but access to markets and business engagement are limited. This underscores the need for stronger market linkages. Key issues includes limited feed resources, poor market access, lack of training, inefficient logistics, and low productivity. To address these gaps, a strategic plan is proposed, emphasizing improved resource management, milk quality enhancement, logistics upgrades, market expansion, and capacity building. These interventions aim to build a more resilient and competitive carabao milk supply chain, ultimately contributing to increased milk sufficiency and farmer livelihood in the Philippines.

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