June 14, 2004

Philippines Eyes New Export Markets For Chicken

Philippine poultry raisers are gearing up to tap new chicken export markets such as South Korea and Malaysia.

The Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators Inc. (PABI) said that members would continue looking for new markets even if there is a shortage in the local market.

PABI is composed of the country's largest agri-business firms, including San Miguel Foods Corp., RFM Swift Foods Corp., Tyson Agro Ventures Inc., Universal Robina Corp. and Vitarich Corp.

PABI spokesperson Ruben Pascual said that going for South Korea and Malaysia was part of the industry's bid to corner a portion of the $500-million export market for chicken products.

He said that aside from San Miguel Foods and RFM-Swift Foods, Tyson Agro-Ventures and Vitarich Corp. plan to export to Malaysia within the next six months, although the volume has not yet been finalized.

SMC-Foods and RFM exported more than 50,000 kilos of deboned chicken meat to Japan from February to April amid the bird flu scare that gripped most of East Asia.

The Philippines remains free of the dreaded avian flu virus.

Agriculture and trade officials, however, claimed that the country would need to import at least 5,000 metric tons of chicken to shore up the local supply in the coming months.

Government officials said the chicken imports would avert another spike in the price reminiscent of the December 2003 holiday surge when retail prices rose to as high as 140 to 150 pesos per kilo.