December 2, 2013

 

Philippine poultry farmers struggle after typhoon killed over 6 million chickens

 

 

Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as "Yolanda", killed more than 6 million chickens in the Philippines, with Cebu's poultry industry incurring PHP174.72 million (US$4.00 million) worth of damages, the Cebu Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported.

 

Northern Cebu, including Bantayan Island, was the worst hit by the super-typhoon.

 

About one-fifth of the Philippines' population of more than 160 million chickens is in the affected Visayas region. The prime poultry-raising region of Bantayan island in the Visayas region is less than 100 miles from the hard-hit city of Tacloban. The island is known as the egg basket of the Philippines, thanks to inexpensive land and easy access to inexpensive fish used in chicken feed.

 

Based on the damage report from the PVO, the town of Bantayan in Bantayan Island suffered the most damage at PHP110.4 million (US$2.52 million), followed by the town of Madridejos, which reported PHP45.24 million (US$1.03 million) in damages, and Santa Fe with PHP19.08 million (US$436,300). Poultry raisers in the three towns produced more than one million eggs daily and supplied about 80% of the total demand in the entire Central Visayas region.

 

Chicken farmers are in need of help as thousands of fowl continue to die daily, exposed to the elements in the wreckage of their coops. Chickens that survived the storm are exposed to the elements and have stopped laying eggs, stopped eating, stopped drinking and eventually die. Farmers said they have been losing hundreds of chickens per day. Across the island, egg farms are selling live chickens before they die at PHP33 each (US$0.75), or one-fourth the regular cost, reports the Wall Street Journal.

 

While the country can absorb the shock, the loss may lead to inflation in some regions. The price of eggs has already jumped 20% in some areas.

 

Even in Negros Occidental, which used to source chicks from Bantayan Island, the shortage in supply of eggs has resulted in an increase in prices by as much as PHP1.20 (US$0.03) each over the previous price of PHP5 - PHP5.50 (US$0.11 - US$0.13). There are also less dressed chickens in the market.

 

Provincial veterinarian Renante Decena said Yolanda caused damages of PHP31.3 million (US$715,700) to poultry and PHP26.2 million (US$599,100) to livestock in Negros Occidental, or a total of P57.5 million (US$1.31 million). The bulk of the losses in the two sectors were felt in the second district.

 

He said the provincial government had allocated PHP5 million (US$114,300) to mitigate livestock and poultry losses. Of this amount, PHP2 million (US$45,700) would be spent to buy chicks and chickens. The provincial government is importing chicks from Manila as a long-term solution to the egg and chicken shortage.

The Provincial Government of Cebu is looking to provide assistance to commercial poultry raisers especially in accessing financial institutions should they decide to start rebuilding the industry in northern Cebu.

 

PVO Head Dr Mary Rose Vincoy said Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide is willing to make some representations to the banks, cooperatives and government funding agencies to waive some of their requirements and offer longer terms for the borrowers.

 

Vincoy said it will take time for the province's egg industry to recover because majority of those who operate poultry houses not only lost their poultry but also their houses.