June 3, 2008

Philippines aiming for meat self-sufficiency by 2010

The Philippine Agriculture Department and meat stakeholders are striving to attain pork and chicken self-sufficiency by 2010.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup said the goal was as critical as that of staples as importation at present only covers potential supply-demand gaps and are needed for industrial manufacturing like fat, offal and other products needed for canned meat processing.

He said sufficiency in meat production would help stabilize domestic supply and prices of chicken and pork.

Wet market prices show the great disparity between farm gate and retail prices of pork.

The retail price of pork now costs P180 per kilo and while that of chicken is pegged at P120 per kg compared with live weight price of P110 per kg and P76 per kg, respectively.

The sufficiency target also aims to rationalize prices of meat products, says Salacup.

He said retail prices had inched up mainly due to increased prices of feed ingredients, in which a substantial portion are imported, such as soymeal, bone meal, fish meal, calcium and other minerals.