Chicken supply unlikely to meet holiday demand

CEBU, Philippines - The robust demand for roasted chicken or lechon manok this holiday season may seem to be ill-timed for both vendors and consumers given the limited supply of dressed chicken and expected price increase after super typhoon Yolanda ravaged the poultry industry of the province.

Rey Calooy, one of the board of directors of the organic food business venture named as Sir Organico, raised this concern a month after the storm battered the Visayas region.

Sir Organico sells roasted organic chicken priced at P250 and pork liempo at P190 per 600-gram cut. It is owned by Rey’s brother, Tito Calooy Jr., who aimed to concretize the organization’s campaign on natural way of farming and health and wellness.

Rey remembered that their business managed to raise 3,000 organic chickens in the middle of the year but felt the urge to get supplies from other poultry raisers to further sustain the business.

He said that they order supplies from poultry raisers in Cebu particularly in Camotes Island and in San Juan, Leyte.

In line with the advocacy of the Filipino Cebuano Business Club, Inc. (FCBI) led by Rey to promote organic farming, Sir Organico opened its first Cebu outlet at Vacinal Street North, Basak, Mandaue City last January. To date, it has six branches in Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay.

Since the typhoon had a ripple effect on the poultry industry, there is reportedly a limited supply of chicken from suppliers in Camotes since poultry farms were among those damaged.

Earlier, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) reported that the super typhoon Yolanda has damaged 80 to 95 percent of residences and agricultural lands in the north.

According to the Department of Agriculture, it is expected that the public will feel a minor decrease in supply of eggs and other poultry products and a slight increase in prices in two to three months.

Rey shared that as of December 12, vendors noticed an increase of P5 to P10 when buying dressed chicken in the market.

He cited that an average production of roasted chicken could now reach 400 pieces everyday in every Sir Organico outlet. He said that the daily demand of lechon manok  grew from 40 pieces in a normal selling day to 60 pieces now that the Christmas season has officially started.

He said that their stock of 1,000 chicken that is usually good for one week could be consumed now within three to four days with the upsurge demand.

He said that they either resort to make advanced bookings from their suppliers or negotiate with other chicken poultry raisers across the country to cope with their limited supply.

Rey also said that there is tendency that they may not be accommodated since the supply of other poultry raisers has already been allotted especially for their regular buyers who are mostly engaged into fast food chain and restaurant businesses.

He further noted that while there is an expected growth of demand for roasted chicken with the increased purchasing power of consumers this season, there may also be an anticipated price hike of the product in the market.

Prices for lechon manok, he said, may also increase up to P10 especially on December 24 and 25.

He said that as part of the tradition, Filipinos still manage to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ amid crisis and calamities.

While there was no fatality reported, Camotes Island suffered from damages of houses and agricultural properties.

It was earlier reported that the poultry industry in Bantayan Island which is one of the hardest-hit areas during the wrath super typhoon Yolanda may take a longer time to recover after reporting total losses of up to P175 million.

The municipality of Bantayan, where most of the poultry farms are located, lost P110 million, followed by Madridejos town with P45 million losses, and Santa Fe with P19 million. /JOB (FREEMAN)