Chicken prices rise to P250 per kilo

MANILA, Philippines — Chicken prices in Metro Manila have reached a record high P250 per kilogram as local broiler output retreated and raisers sought to recover losses incurred in previous months.

Whole chickens sold in Metro Manila ranged between P190 per kilo and P250 per kilo at the start of this week, based on the latest price monitoring report by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Compared to last month, whole chickens sold in Metro Manila ranged between P160 and P220 per kilo – a P30 increase.

Jose Gerardo Feliciano, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said the P250 per kilo price is “too high,” noting that prevailing market prices should range between P210 and P230.

He also noted that a price of P250 per kilo could mean that somebody is “taking advantage” of limited supply in a given market or area.

Feliciano explained at a press briefing yesterday that chicken prices have been rising due to lower broiler stocks after raisers reduced their flock loading to recoup losses they incurred in recent months.

As an indication of the reduced broiler output, the farm gate price of day-old chicks has risen to P43 per chick, nearly double the usual average of P24 apiece.

“There is already some sort of panic. It means that there is no supply of day-old chicks,” Feliciano said.

Nonetheless, Feliciano assured the public that the country has sufficient stocks of broilers. “Supply is there but the problem is the sizes,” he said.

UBRA data showed that average farm gate prices of broilers fell below P100 per kilo last October and persisted until January of this year.

The average farm gate price of broiler between October 2023 and January ranged from P91.47 per kilo to P97.12 per kilo. The estimated break-even cost for a regular-sized broiler is between P100 and P110 per kilo.

This month, the average farm gate price of broiler is hovering around P137 per kilo, reflecting the reduced supply in the market. The average quotation is already nine percent higher than the P125.57 per kilo average price recorded last month, based on UBRA data.