March 31, 2020

Philippine poultry supply in peril as lockdown blocks farmers

Poultry farmers are finding it difficult to supply chicken to Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon due to the different policies of local government units (LGUs), the head of an industry group said on Sunday.

The United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) said some LGUs have set up roadblocks and personnel restrictions that have affected their deliveries and supply chains. This was in spite of the order from the national government to allow food deliveries through checkpoints.

"There was an LGU in Nueva Ecija who piled two dump trucks in the middle of the road and no one can pass (not) even their constituents. Things like those disrupt the supply chain and also the movement of essential personnel," UBRA president Bong Inciong said.

Central Luzon and the Calabarzon areas are particularly critical to the supply of poultry to Metro Manila and Luzon, Inciong said.

Poultry farmers, he said, hope that by this week, the national government will be able to convince LGUs to withdraw restrictions on the movement of poultry farm personnel; the delivery of feeds, medicines and other supplies; as well as the delivery of poultry to markets.

Inciong added, "If we don't straighten this out, in 30 days we will start to feel the effects."

The poultry industry has also been battered by the drop in demand, which plunged farmgate prices of chicken to PHP30 on Saturday from PHP69 before the lockdown, Inciong said.