June 6, 2014

 

 

After a successful export of chicken meat during early 2014, the Philippines has set its sights on duck meat, which it hopes to export to South Korea.

 

According to Leandro Gazmin, the director of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service of the Department of Agriculture, the Philippines may soon realise this export scheme.

 

Gazmin's announcement came on the heels of Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala's visit to South Korea, where, he said, several South Korea-based companies expressed a "strong desire" to import poultry products from the Philippines.

 

"These products may include duck and chicken meat," he told reporters.

 

Gazmin added that South Korea's annual consumption of duck is a significant US$1.2 billion, at six million pieces of the bird.

 

He also cited Japan Food Corp which he claimed requires some 50,000 tonnes of chicken meat, 60% of which are boneless leg meat; and the remaining 40%, breast parts.

 

Gazmin quoted Nicanor S. Bautista, the commercial counsellor of Philippine Trade and Investment Center, as saying that the potential export of chicken to South Korea is at least US$300 million.

 

Bautista also added that Brazil will become the Philippines's main competitor in this trade.

 

The Philippines had exported poultry products to South Korea early this year through Bulacan-based Bounty Fresh Inc.

 

Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry shows that in the first two months of the year, the Philippines shipped to South Korea some 1,000 tonnes of poultry products valued at US$37,800.

 

Meanwhile, the country's poultry producers are feeling the effect of hot weather, which has extended the growing cycles of chicken.

 

Poultry producers have extended their cycles by about three days more but many still fail to reach the prime size of at least 1.8 kg for their birds, according to the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA).

 

However, UBRA's chairman and founding president, Gregorio San Diego, explained that the slow growth is an annual occurrence, although adding that this year's heat is more affecting compared to previous years.