Amid high pork prices, consumers shift to chicken

MANILA, Philippines — There has been an increase in the consumption of chicken, due to the spike in the retail price of pork as well as special occasions such as graduations and fiestas, United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) president Elias Jose Inciong said yesterday.

“(Consumption of chicken) increased because of graduation, and it’s summer; there are many fiestas,” Inciong said.

He added that the retail price of chicken remains stable between P180 and P200 per kilo, compared to the cost of pork, which has reached as high as P420 per kilo.

“If you go to the supermarkets, normally, it will peak starting Wednesday,” Inciong added.

Based on monitoring of the Department of Agriculture, the retail price of chicken ranged between P160 and P220 per kilo; pork kasim, ranged between P305 and P380 and pork liempo, between P340 and P420.

Inciong added that despite the increase in the consumption of chicken, poultry raisers have yet to recover from losses.

“From October to April or eight-month period, the industry is either losing or break-even,” he noted.

Inciong said that the most difficult period for the production of chickens was half of the second quarter up to first half of the third quarter amid the high humidity.

“The temperature now ranged from 28 to 30 degrees Celsius, but it still feels 34 degrees Celsius because of humidity,” he noted.