June 27, 2008

Philippine egg prices to soar as typhoon hits key egg province

Egg prices in the Visayas and Mindanao are expected to surge after the most recent typhoon destroyed 70 percent of poultry farms in Bantayan Island, a key egg producing province.

Gerry Avila, Department of Agriculture (DA 7) agribusiness and marketing assistant division head, said Bantayan accounted for 80-90 percent of Cebu's egg production or about 54.5 million eggs monthly or 1.8 million daily.

Avila also said Bantayan Island has been supplying 2 million eggs monthly to the National Capital Region.

Bantayan mayor Geralyn Escario Canares said officials would ask the Philippine national government to provide soft loans to owners of poultry farms to help them revive their business.

Representative Benhur Salimbangun, of Cebu's fourth district, said most of the 150 poultry owners in Bantayan lost their farms.