Poultry, egg producers urge government to stop importation of breeders

Poultry and egg growers are urging the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Customs to stop the importation of breeders and to crack down on the continued smuggling of choice chicken parts, Peking duck and century eggs, and even choice pork cuts.

According to Gregorio A. San Diego Jr., president of the United Broiler Raisers’ Association (UBRA) there are enough breeders already in the country, with the local industry resorting to culling to trim the breeder population.

The continued importation of breeders, San Diego warned, could harm the local poultry and egg industry which is just beginning to recover.

In fact, San Diego revealed that the local poultry industry is projecting a 20 percent growth this year, while the egg industry expects a flat growth.

Local chicken production last year, San Diego said, was targeted at 523 million kilos.

However, the growth of the poultry sector, San Diego stressed, would hinge on keeping the cost of production down.

At the same time, San Diego also urged the DA and the BoC to crack down harder on the unabated smuggling of  choice chicken parts, Peking duck and century eggs.

In particular, San Diego pointed out, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has never issued an import permit for Peking ducks, and yet, there is a proliferation of Peking ducks offered by local restaurants.

The same is true, San Diego revealed, with the Chinese century egg delicacy for the which the BAI has, likewise, never issued an import permit for.

The DA, San Diego said, has already excused itself pointing to the BoC as responsible for ensuring the non-entry of such poultry products.

Another problem that the poultry and egg sector hopes that the DA would also help resolve is the continued double taxation by local governments which, San Diego said, appears to be increasing rather than decreasing as more and more local government are beginning to impose their own taxes on top of the National Government-imposed taxes and fees.