February 14, 2007

 

Philippine chicken raisers fear of weaker sales due to suspected bird-flu death of migratory bird

 

 

Small poultry raisers in the Philippines expressed trepidation over the possibility of incurring losses following the news of a dead heron that migrated to the province of Sorsogon from Japan may be infected with the dreaded avian influenza (AI) virus.

 

The United Broiler Raisers' Association (UBRA) told the Business Mirror daily that the possible death of the heron was due to bird flu could further discourage more people from buying chicken.

 

UBRA president Gregorio San Diego Jr said demand has been very weak since December and even as the election period had already started where sales are expected to pick up, it has remained slow.

 

The first state-of-the-art Avian Influenza (AI) Diagnostic Laboratory outside Metro Manila was inaugurated on February 13 at the regulatory compound of the Agriculture department office in San Fernando, Pampanga.

 

UBRA had earlier said consumers' demand for poultry meat declined by at least 20 percent during the holidays, causing an excess in supply in the domestic market.

 

Due to weak demand, San Diego disclosed that the live weight price of chicken plunged further to P56 (US$1.15) to P59 (US$1.22) a kilogramme, from a high of P70 (US$1.44) per kilo in January.

 

He added that egg consumption has also gone down in recent months.

 

San Diego suspects that the low demand for poultry products may be due largely to the weakening purchasing power of ordinary Filipinos.

 

Government agencies led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have been on alert following the discovery of a dead heron in barangay Cogon in Sorsogon.

 

DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes called an emergency meeting on February 13 to strengthen monitoring activities of migratory birds in the municipality and nearby wet land areas.

 

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), for its part said the bird may have died of other causes aside from bird flu.

 

San Diego, for his part, said the government should be more cautious against smuggling of farm goods since this has the potential to allow the entry of animal diseases such as AI.

 

Currently, the Philippines remains free from the dreaded disease which have resurfaced in neighbouring Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand.

 

The World Bank has earlier estimated that economic losses in Southeast Asia are estimated at around US$10 billion since the virus plagued poultry farms in the region.