Enough chicken, DA assures consumers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday guaranteed that the Philippines has enough chicken supply amid consecutive importation bans in different countries, with Japan being added to the list due to the threat of bird flu.

Based on Japan’s official report submitted to the World Organization for Animal Health, there was an outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Kashima City, Saga prefecture on Nov. 24, 2023.

Domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen from Japan are prohibited from entering the Philippines, according to Memorandum Order 3 issued on Jan. 17 by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

“We are able to manage (bird flu) outbreak in the country. Based on the latest report, only one to two areas are still affected. It is not a big problem compared to the African swine fever,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said at a press conference.

Laurel earlier banned imported poultry products from California and Ohio in the US amid the outbreak of avian flu.

“For the whole United States, the total contribution, the total poultry products, is about 40 percent. Based on the data, (we import) about $175 million or 166,000 metric tons of poultry meat from the US but affected by the ban are only (two) US states,” De Mesa said.

The DA had also banned imported poultry products from Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa states; and Belgium and France.

Egg farmgate price down P1 per piece

The farmgate price of eggs has decreased by more than P1 per piece compared to prices in December last year but the retail price remains high, according to the Philippine Egg Board Association (PEBA).

In a message to The STAR, United Broiler Raisers Association and PEBA chair Gregorio San Diego yesterday confirmed an abrupt decrease in the farmgate price of eggs after the holiday season.

Based on the DA’s monitoring, he said the retail price of eggs has not changed since September 2023.

In a separate interview over radio dzBB, PEBA president Francis Uyehara said the farmgate price of medium-sized eggs went down between P5.80 and P6.50 per piece, compared to P7 to P7.50 in December.

The retail price of eggs should decline once the farmgate price drops to encourage the public to buy more, he added.

Uyehara said the government needs to take an interest in monitoring middlemen who benefit from the slump in the farmgate price of eggs.

Egg supplies increased after the New Year celebrations but consumption declined, which led to “the more than P1 drop in the farmgate price,” he added.

Based on the DA’s price watch, the retail price of medium-sized eggs is still sold for as high as P9 per piece. — Catherine Talavera