December 22, 2004

Philippine Poultry Producers Aspire For Higher Growth

Poultry raisers in the Philippines, especially Mindanao, have come out with high hopes after a decision of member countries of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippine East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga) to make the poultry industry the focus of the group's current development efforts.

Private businessman Vicente Lao, Davao-based poultry raiser and prominent building contractor, said prioritizing development of the poultry industry was decided during last month's 12th Bimp-Eaga Senior Officials Meeting and 9th Ministerial Meeting in Balikpapan, Indonesia.

The group is now officially called Bimp-Eaga Plus One with the acceptance of Australia's Northern Territory as member.

Davao said the poultry industry should target the Middle East, which is a US$2-billion-a-year market for "halal" chicken.

He said this market was formerly supplied by Thailand and China, whose poultry industry is now virtually crippled by the bird flu epidemic.

The absence of bird flu in the Philippines, Lao said, is its distinct advantage over other countries supplying poultry products to the Middle East.

"We are talking here of a three-to-five-year window of opportunity for poultry raisers," said the Davao contractor, who built the Ma-a bridge and the Buhangin underpass said.