October 12, 2006

Philippines to increase poultry imports

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has given the go-ahead for the poultry industry to import an extra 3,000 tonnes of chicken due to an expected shortage in chicken supply for Christmas holidays.

The poultry sector was one of the industries most affected by Typhoon Milenyo, which hit the Philippines in late September.

Demand for chicken in the Philippines typically rises during the holiday season that starts in late November. The DA has earlier expressed interest to import three million tonnes of chicken from the United States.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, although the specific guidelines and mechanisms for importing the 3,000 tonnes of chicken have yet to be completed and finalised by the DA, it is expected that these particular shipments of chicken - which will be over and above the Minimum Access Volumes - will be exempt from special agriculture safeguards and only subject to the regular tariff rate of 40 percent.