October 23, 2012

Philippines to start chicken export to South Korea

Six months after South Korea approved fowl shipments from the Philippines, the Philippine government urged the poultry sector to start the export of choice chicken cuts to South Korea in the near term.

"We did our part. We already have approval from South Korea to bring in our chicken products. Now I am asking the private sector to do their share," Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said in an interview over the weekend.

He said the department had alerted private poultry companies to initiate negotiations with possible buyers in South Korea.

"I think it's about time that they do the talking. I do not want the private sector thinking that the government always meddles with the business affairs of private companies," said Alcala, adding the department had sought comments from major growers like San Miguel Corp. and the Bounty Fresh Group of Companies and small poultry raisers under the United Broilers and Raisers Association.

South Korea has approved the Philippine request to export medium to large chicken sizes after initially receiving small sized-chicken. South Korea in April approved the Philippine request to export frozen chicken parts after Manila's compliance to international safety and regulatory standards.

The Philippines is taking advantage of its avian influenza-free status to seek out new markets. The Philippines is one of the few countries in Asia that is free from the dreaded bird flu, which has crippled many poultry industries in the region.

The opening of South Korea for local chicken products is one of the agenda of the Philippine-South Korea bilateral meeting on agriculture held in Manila in November last year.

The South Korean market is as big as that of Japan's. Tokyo has turned to the Philippines for its poultry needs following the onslaught of the bird flu virus in Thailand. Japan remains the top importer of Yakitori chicken from the Philippines.