August 28, 2024

 

US poultry exporters aim to boost shipments to the Philippines

US poultry exporters are aiming to reverse the decline in their shipments to the Philippines this year, as the country's demand for meat products for both retail and processing purposes continues to grow, The Philippine Star reported.

 

In the first half of this year, the US experienced a slight decrease in its broiler exports to the Philippines, with volumes reaching 70,970.6 metric tonnes (MT), down from 71,609.2 MT in the same period last year.

 

The USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) attributed the decline to a reduced supply of available products, a situation brought about by challenges in US domestic production, including the impact of avian influenza and a shift in consumer preference toward dark meat.

 

In recent years, the supply of US chicken leg quarters, typically exported to other markets, has been constrained as more American consumers began favouring dark meat, according to USAPEEC.

 

"We are hoping that there will be a reversal in exports to the Philippines this year," stated Greg Tyler, president and CEO of USAPEEC. "The Philippines is such an important market for our industry, and we work closely with the meat processing sector."

 

According to data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the US exported 172,296.2 MT of broiler meat to the Philippines in 2023, marking an eight percent decline from the previous year's 187,190.5 MT.

 

Despite this drop, the Philippines remained the US's sixth-largest market globally and the largest in Southeast Asia for broiler meat products during the first half of the year.

 

USAPEEC highlighted the increasing demand for chicken meat products in the Philippines, driven by the country's food service industry and retail consumers who often choose chicken over pork due to price considerations.

 

Additionally, there is strong demand for certain poultry products, such as mechanically deboned meat, which is widely used by domestic meat processors in the production of hotdogs, meatloaf, and other processed foods.

 

Furthermore, USAPEEC expects a growing market for egg products in the Philippines. The country became the US's third-largest market for egg products in the first five months of the year. During this period, the US more than tripled its exports of egg products to the Philippines, reaching US$1.634 million, compared to US$509,000 in the same period last year.

 

-      The Philippine Star