MANILA – A group of poultry producers in the Philippines is urging government to reduce importation of chicken and other poultry products, saying the huge imports could kill the local industry.

United Broilers Raisers Association & Philippine Egg Board chairman Gregorio San Diego Jr. said they have been selling their products at lower farmgate prices amid the influx of imported chicken into the country.

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“Itong nakaraang 2 araw, Sabado at Linggo, bumaba nang tig-P5 sa bawat araw…bale P10 na yung binaba, pero eto, hindi pangkaraniwan eto kasi nga, weekend eh, usually kapag weekend, tumataas hindi bumababa, pero eto, this time, bumaba siya,” he said.

(This past weekend, prices of our products dropped by P10. But this is unusual because our prices usually rise during the weekend. But this time, prices went down.)

“Ang rate na ng presyo namin sa farm, yung binebenta naming mga buhay na manok, ngayon nasa P92-101. Ang puhunan namin dyan, sa pag-aalaga ng manok na buhay na yan, sa ngayon ang average na puhunan namin, P112. Kaya nalulugi na kami nang mahigit P10 bawat kilo,” he lamented.

(Our rate at the farm for live chicken is P92-101. Our capital for that is about P112. So we are losing about P10 per kilo.)

San Diego said 212 million kilos of imported poultry products entered the country from January to July 2022 including 24 million kg in April, 28 million kg in May, 45 million kg in June and 36 million kg in July 36.

He noted that government approved import permits for 416 million kilograms of poultry for January-July.

"Hindi pa natodo yung request nila na volume. 'Yan ang potential na dumating kasi doble. Talagang papatayin yung local industry," he said.

The Philippines also imported 6.6 million hatching eggs in July-August.

San Diego noted the import figures do not include smuggled poultry products.

“Yung sa cold storage naman natin Johnson, ang imbentaryo natin nung August 22… yung mga frozen chicken na naka-istore doon nung August 22, 32.7 million kilos. Later, nung August 24, 38.9 million kilos na. Kaya ang laki ng dinadami ng imported.”

(As for our cold storage, our inventory there as of August 22 is 32.7 million kilos. On August 24, it was already at 38.9 million kilos.)

San Diego said the local poultry industry can actually meet demand, making the country self-sufficient in terms of poultry needs.

"Kaya namang sapatan yung demand. Ang broiler ay isa sa mga agricultural ano natin na pwede tayong maging self-sufficient kaya lang hindi kami binibigyan ng pagkakataon dahil napakaraming import," he said.

"Anlaki nang idinadami ng imported kaya nahihirapan kami sa production. Marami sa amin nag-iisip kung magkakarga pa ba kami ng manok kasi ang nakikita namin palugi."

He said some producers have decreased their production volume to help cut their losses.

“Ako mismo, nagbawas na ako ng volume,” he said.

(I myself have reduced my production volume.)

San Diego encouraged the public to buy chicken locally so they can provide fresh, healthy meals for their families.

“Yung local ang bibilhin mo kasi sariwa yan. Kung mapapansin niyo yung mga imported, kahit yung ibang food chains na gumagamit niyan, pagka kinain mo, makikita mo, medyo maitim na yung buto.”

(You should buy local chicken because that's fresh. If you look at imported chicken, even the food chains that use them, some of the bones are already black after you eat the meat.)

He also lamented that some Filipinos seem to encourage the killing of the local chicken industry, saying poultry imports are "cheaper."

"'Mabuti nga para mawala na yung local dahil mas mura ang imported.' Nakakalungkot," San Diego recalled one netizen's comment.

"Kasi kami magsasaka, kami nagbibigay ng employment sa bansa pero yung ibang mamamayan natin mas maganda na yung imported. Kung alam lang nila, kahit mura yung imported mahal pa rin ibinebenta kasi malaki din ang tubo ng importers."

--TeleRadyo, 12 September 2022