Chicken imports may hit new high this year

MANILA, Philippines — Chicken importation is again poised to reach record high this year, causing losses in the local poultry sector and its allied industries, according to United Broilers and Raisers Association (UBRA).

During the Poultry Forum 2023 last week, UBRA chairman Gregorio San Diego said chicken meat importation was higher in the second semester.

San Diego said importation has brought about billions of losses on broiler and allied industries.

“This year, from January to July, we have already imported 249.37 million kilograms. Historically, importation is higher in the second half versus the first half. Depending on government actions, this year’s importation will be another record high,” he said.

Total chicken meat importation reached 411.07 million kilograms last year, up 1.57 percent from 404.71 million kilos in the same period in 2021.

San Diego said chicken meat importation has consistently rose in the past decade. From just 45.772 million kilos in 2008 to 67.264 million kilos in 2009, chicken importation breached the hundred million kilo volume in 2010.

The volume of importation reached 101.957 million kilos in 2010 and 127.227 million kilos in 2011.

“The total chicken meat importation is 411.069 million kilograms last year, up 323 percent from 2011, almost 30 percent increase per year,” San Diego said.

He said last year’s importation has displaced local production of 299.366 million broilers valued at P58.286 billion.

Also displaced are 315.122 million day old broilers amounting to P9.138 billion and 2.52 million broiler breeders valued at P756.294 million.

Lost sales from byproducts such as head, feet, intestine, blood totaled to P5.987 billion.

Importation also translated to lost direct labor totaling to 31,512 at one caretaker per 10,000 broilers and lost jobs in feed milling, trucking, and dressing plants.

Lost feed sales amounted to P4.877 billion while lost feeds ingredient sales totaled P11.89 billion (corn); P8.154 billion (soya); P4.478 billion (coconut oil); and P1.132 billion (rice bran).

There was also opportunity loss for veterinary products (disinfectants, vaccines vitamins, antibiotics) at P3.623 billion and P2.993 billion for dressing plants.

To lessen importation, DA Undersecretary Deogracias Victor Savellano said raising local agricultural production would be prioritized and realized through a consultative approach.

“Recommendations from various sectors of our agriculture is currently being heard and studied on what, where, and how government actions are to be applied to boost our poultry sector,” he said.

“We will find ways to produce more to lessen importations.  By consulting with livestock associations on how much each sector can produce, (we will know) the actual demand. It will be the consideration in determining the minimal quantity of imports,” the DA official said.