Chicken, pork prices to be stable for holidays

MANILA, Philippines - Prices of pork and chicken are expected to remain stable during the Christmas season amid strong production, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said yesterday.

“We have sufficient supply of pork and chicken in time for the holiday season,” said Jose Reaño, DA undersecretary for livestock. “Prices are very stable due to high production.”

He said the hot weather has not significantly affected pork and chicken production as most commercial growers are now using tunnel ventilation system in pigpens and chicken coops.

Tunnel ventilation and cooling systems minimize or eliminate animal body heat, thereby lessening deaths during hot season.

As of last week, the country has an inventory of 12 million kilograms of chicken, eight million kilograms of which are locally produced and four million kilograms imported.

Domestic pork inventory, meanwhile, is placed at 13 million kilograms.

Farmgate prices of chicken currently range from P73 to P75 per kilogram while pork prices range from P97 to P98 per kilogram.

Prices of whole fresh chicken range from P125 to P140 per kilogram at major markets in Metro Manila.

Pork belly retails for P190 to P210 per kilogram, while lean pork meat retails for P180 to P190 per kilogram.

Prices of pork and chicken traditionally rise during the Christmas season and fall in the first quarter as demand wanes.