Poultry growers okay short-term chicken importation

Members of the Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators (PABI) and the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) have agreed to allow the government to undertake a short-term importation of chicken.

Following a meeting with members of the PABI, Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II announced that government will import up to one million kilograms of chicken to avert a shortage of chicken supply especially during the Holiday season.

The member of PABI include representatives of San Miguel Corp., Purefoods, Swift, Tysons, Universal Robina Corp. and Vitarich.

Roxas said poultry farms had culled some of their breeders a couple of months ago following the damage caused by typhoon Harurot to the local corn crop.

The poultry raisers, not wanting to feed their excess chicken stock then with expensive imported corn, decided to cull not only their day-old chicks but also their breeders.

Unfortunately, because of the culling, chicken prices have risen to a high of P95 per kilo causing concern among local consumers.

In the past, members of PABI and UBRA were vehemently opposed to such importation because it depressed local chicken prices.

Roxas assured, though, that the special importation will be time bound as the supply of chicken is expected to ease by January when the current stock of chicken has matured.