March 19, 2018

Philippines' chicken inventory down almost 41%, pork up 32.6%

The Philippines' dressed-chicken inventory as of Feb. 20 was down 40.83%, while that of frozen pork was up 32.57%, compared with the same period last year, according to the latest data released by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), the Business Mirror newspaper reported.

The dressed-chicken inventory stood at 14,384.64 tonnes, down from last year's 24,314.63 tonnes. The frozen-pork inventory as of Feb. 20 totalled 22,158.02 tonnes from last year's 16,714.14 tonnes.

Local producers supplied 53.06% of the dressed-chicken inventory, or 7,632.66 tonnes, as of Feb. 20 from 13,241.54 tonnes recorded in the same period last year.

According to the NMIS, as reported, imported dressed chicken in Philippine cold storages as of Feb. 20 totalled 6,751.98 tonnes, 39.02% lower than the 11,073.09 tonnes last year.

The dressed-chicken figures did not include fresh, chilled chicken and mechanically deboned meat, as well as those already in distribution channels, NMIS said. It added that the survey covered only accredited cold-storage facilities.

Meanwhile, the frozen-pork inventory as of Feb. 20 consisted mostly of imports at 21,024.58 tonnes. Locally produced pork in cold storages totalled only 1,133.44 tonnes.

The frozen-pork inventory included carcass and primal and specialty cuts. The cold-storage facilities covered in the survey were only those that were accredited commercial and in-house facilities.

The Philippines was the eighth-largest pig-product importer in the world last year (Jan.-Nov.), according to data from the European Commission.

It was also the sixth-largest importer of poultry products last year (Jan.-Dec.).