April 9, 2024

Growth of chickens in Philippines face risk from heat, says broiler association official

Intense heat may affect the growth of chickens in the Philippines, said the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) on April 4.

"We are not seeing a disease that we can consider as alarming when it comes to the supply of our meat," UBRA president Jay Feliciano said in a radio interview. Still, he highlighted several effects on chickens due to hot weather conditions, which may cause delay in their growth.

"The prime effect is the growth delay. Perhaps you'll count two or four more days," he added. "The supposedly 34 (days of growth)… (now) becomes 38. But I don't see it causing a supply shortage in chicken."

However, he explained that these delays may still cause a supply drop in markets for a day or more leading to price tweaks. These changes in retail prices, however, stabilise on its own once the delayed chicken supply reaches the market, Feliciano said.

Based on UBRA's monitoring, the average farmgate price of chicken was pegged at ₱95/kg (US$1.68) to ₱102/kg (US$1.80).

As of April 4, the prevailing retail price range of whole chicken in the National Capital Region (NCR) is set at ₱150/kg (US$2.65) to ₱200/kg (US$3.54), according to the Department of Agriculture (DA)'s Bantay Presyo (price watch).

- PNA