SMC to start raw chicken exports to HK this month

Food giant San Miguel Corp. may start exporting raw chicken meat to Hong Kong this month. The food company is also eyeing chicken exports to Korea and the United Arab Emirates. Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap told The STAR that SMC, along with RFM Corp., have informed him of their plans to start exporting chicken in anticipation of a surge in demand for bird flu-free poultry products. Yap said SMC has sent its representatives to Hong Kong, along with representatives of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), to secure the necessary accreditation for the export of raw chicken meat to the former crown colony.

The Philippines has an existing accreditation for the export of chicken hotdogs to Hong Kong. However, the Philippines must secure a separate accreditation to export raw chicken meat to Hong Kong.

The initial amount to be exported by San Miguel is expected to be minimal as it still has to establish its market.

San Miguel resumed exporting chicken to Japan in July last year.

The Philippines, along with Singapore and Brunei, remains among the three countries in Southeast Asia that are bird flu-free.

Yap, thus, has urged the country’s local poultry growers to capitalize on its bird flu-free status and increase exports of chicken products. He said local growers could easily increase their exports by 10 percent to 20 percent.

Among the possible export markets for Philippine chicken products, Yap cited, are China, Japan and Korea, Yap said.

The bird flu virus, H5N1 has been detected in Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Turkey and various other countries in Europe.

Although the spread of the virus has been attributed in Europe to migratory birds, the United Nations warns that the primary mode of infection is through trade.

The UN is thus urging all countries to maintain their vigilance in the detection and monitoring of the dreaded virus in processed bird and poultry products.