Growers see shift in demand from pork to chicken

MANILA, Philippines - Poultry growers see a shift in demand from pork to chicken in the coming months due to the shortfall in pork supply.

According to Gregorio “Joji” San Diego, president of the United Broilers and Raisers Association, “poultry supply is quite tight, but demand is low.”

As such, San Diego feels, supply may be adequate.

Even then, San Diego further assured, the poultry sector is doing a special importation of five million kilograms of chicken which will arrive by next month.

Farmgate prices for live chicken, San Diego said, has increased to around P89 to P91 per kilogram.

Unfortunately, San Diego said, poultry growers have no control over retail prices and are, thus, not sure if retail prices will rise next month due to the shift from pork to chicken.

Based on the daily market survey of the Department of Agriculture as of Nov. 5, though, the price of chicken per kilo in the wet market ranges from P123 to P140.

In the supermarkets, the price of frozen chicken ranges from P120 to P130 per kilo.

Demand in December normally rises due to the regular Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

However, the ailing economy and recent devastation by the series of typhoons and floodings may dampen spending.

Thus, while there are talks of possible shortages in pork and chicken, consumer demand will still likely be tempered by their buying power.