DA recommends chicken, egg, fish as alternative to pork

As the price of pork meat climbed to almost P400 per kilo, the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday recommended chicken, fish and eggs as possible alternatives.

According to Maki Pulido’s report on “24 Oras,” the DA said it is not recommending rabbit and goat meat as an alternative due to its lack of supply and high demand, leading to high prices.

“We are encouraging them as source of livelihood, para mas marami. Kapag marami na talaga, bababa ang presyo,” Agriculture spokesperson Noel Reyes said.

According to the DA, chicken costs around P180 per kilo while the meat of culled quail cost P7 to P10 per piece.

Meanwhile, the farmgate price of a duck is at P200 per kilo while a Peking Duck costs P250 per kilo. Tilapia and Bangus also cost P120 and P140 to P160 per kilo, respectively.

Eggs cost P6 to P7 per piece.

“Pinakamurang protein source? Itlog. Kumpleto yun eh,” Reyes said.

Rabbit, goat meat

Onorio Cruz, meanwhile, turned to rabbit-breeding after his hog-raising business went bankrupt due to the African Swine Fever.

“Ang rabbit is walang ano, wala siyang taba, walang cholesterol. Very lean tapos masarap siya,” Cruz said.

Cruz said that rabbit meat was initially not favored in the country as Filipinos view them as pets.

During the Christmas season, he said rabbit meat sale was brisk despite being pricey, costing aroung P450 per kilo.

“Mas mataas ang production cost ng rabbit kasi unang una, ang feed conversion ratio niya, hindi sila kasing efficient ng chicken. Tapos ang recovery, meat recovery nila, mas mababa kaysa sa chicken,” he said.

Meanwhile, due to the lack of supply and high demand, goat meat also reached P450 per kilo.

“Halos same price na sila ng baboy, parang nakakasawa na, eh maiba naman. Tsaka, ‘yun nga, halos magkasing-presyo na sila. So mas masarap ‘yung kambing . . .mas masaarap ‘yung meat niya,” Aries Cruz, a customer, said.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News