A five-container shipment of chicken leg quarters labelled "For Export to Russia" has found its way to Manila and is now awaiting release at the pier.
The members of the Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators (PABI), represented by its president Ronald R. Mascarinas, claimed that allowing the release of this shipment is in violation Department of Agriculture Administrative Order 39 which allows unlabelled export packaging to the Philippines but not the diversion of exports.
A.O. 39 is an amendment of the previous A.O. 16 which specified that all exports to the Philippines must be clearly labelled, and if not, may be outrightly rejected.
It is feared that the shipment intended for Russia may be chemically-laced just like last year when copies of foreign news indicated that Russian authorities seized two rail cars of US poultry that might have been contaminated with harmful chemicals.
The PABI president has raised concern over the possibility of contamination which could endanger the health and lives of Filipinos.
"We’re exposing the consuming public to health risks," Mascariñas said. "What is our assurance that it is not contaminated?"
Dr. Teodoro A. Abilay, director of the Bureau of Animal Industry, has admitted the shipment of five container vans of chicken leg quarters.
The domestic poultry sector is apprehensive that the diversion of such shipment and the continued importation of chicken leg quarters would hurt the local industry because of underpricing. The latest quotation of leg quarter prices in the world market shows that prices are again very low and could come into the country at a landed cost of P43-P44.
"The unfair competition serves as a disincentive for local commercial poultry raisers to continue operations," Mascariñas stressed, adding that the unabated entry of chicken parts threatens to demolish the local poultry industry.