November 28, 2006

 

Philippine chicken exports likely to surge in 2007

 

 

Philippine chicken exports are likely to surge next year as industry players are eyeing an expansion of their export markets to include the Middle East and European Union, an industry executive said Monday (Nov 27).

 

Rita Imelda Palabyab, president of the Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators, said chicken exports next year could see a five- to six-fold increase from this year's estimated 1 million kilogrammes.

 

The Philippines, which has remained free of the highly pathogenic bird flu, currently exports chicken only to Japan, a highly lucrative market.

 

But shipments to Japan resumed only in June this year, after coming to a halt due in June 2005 due to an outbreak of low pathogenic bird flu.

 

"Although it's not as lucrative as Japan, we're looking to start exporting chicken to the Middle East next year. There are also plans to tap Hong Kong and the EU, specifically the United Kingdom," Palabyab told a news briefing.

 

This year's chicken exports to Japan are accounted for mainly by San Miguel Foods, a unit of San Miguel Corp, the Philippines' largest food and beverage conglomerate by sales.

 

Representatives of three other major poultry producers--Universal Robina Corp, Tyson Agro Ventures, Inc. and RFM Corp--said they are also eyeing the resumption of chicken shipments to Japan by next year.

 

"The demand is there; it's a question of whether suppliers have the capability to meet the demand," Palabyab said.

 

Taking into account the potential surge in export demand, poultry raisers have already imported enough breeder chickens so that production next year could rise between 15 percent-20 percent, Palabyab added.