Enough chicken supply for Christmas season, say poultry producers

At least two major poultry producers said that there is enough supply of chicken to keep up with the high demand during the Christmas holiday season.

In a statement, Vitarich Corporation spokesperson Karen Jimeno said they are prepared for the Christmas rush and the reopening of the economy amid the relaxed quarantine restrictions.

“Our industry is one of the few that provide both livelihood and fresh nutritious food for the Filipino people,” she said.

Jimeno added that the poultry industry is trying to keep "prices stable despite the challenges caused by fuel hike and shortage of corn supply."

Corgill Philippines corporate affairs director Cris Ilagan echoed Jimeno, saying there is enough chicken supply for the holidays based on their company's market reading. Cargill Philippines is the chicken supplier of Jollibee Foods Corporation.

He added that there are challenges in the industry such as the cost of raw material, as well as the higher prices of corn and soybean meal, primary ingredients in making animal feeds.

Export status in chicken

Ilagan suggested that the Philippines could have an export status in chicken if it implements the "right policies."

“The ‘right policies’ include the likes of those that should lower input costs (raw materials, utilities, transport and logistics); allow an expanding footprint for the sector to grow into (such as reforming zoning laws); retaining an animal disease-free environment and support infrastructure to complement the entire value chain (from roads, warehouses, cold storage, laboratory facilities, etc.),” he said.

“Investor incentives could be helpful as well as facilitating market access and promoting Philippine poultry products abroad… The country should aspire for export status and not just plan to fulfill the domestic demand. It’s a big aspiration, but an exciting one as well,” he further explained.

Jimeno said the Philippines can balance local and imported chicken if it is committed to proper disclosure of timely and appropriate data.

“Given the proper policy, definitely the private sector can fuel self-sufficiency of the poultry sector and even in fact, even be competitive as we are bird flu free," she said.

"The local chicken industry has been vigilant in monitoring chicken imports, careful that countries with the bird flu do not export their chickens to us. So far, the Department of Agriculture has been responsive in this effort,” she further said. — Consuelo Marquez/BM, GMA News