January 3, 2007

Philippines may experience chicken shortage in early 2007

The Philippines may not have enough chicken available in the local market in January to February this year as only half of the planned 5,000 metric tonnes of chicken imports arrived.

The deadline of importation was on December 31, thus, the other half is no longer expected to arrive, said Roger Navarro, president of the Normin Poultry Industry Association Inc based in Cagayan de Oro City.

Navarro said the tightness in supply of chicken in the local market was now being felt and expected to continue until the end of February this year.

In a letter to Agriculture Undersecretary Emmanuel Paras, Navarro said the situation drew serious concern since it would mean that there will not be enough chicken in the coming two months as local chicken raisers will not be in a position to increase their output during this period to cope up with the huge drop in supply.

The importation has been approved by the Department of Agriculture (DA)through the various poultry industry associations was in anticipation of the supply shortage felt in the local market in December.

Various poultry raisers associations and other concerned groups supported the move, saying it was the only way to ensure that prices of chicken would not skyrocket this Christmas season.

Navarro warned that if the DA will not readily act on the situation, chicken prices will reach an all time high in the following months.