THE country’s chicken inventory as of May 25 this year jumped by almost threefold to 22,137.15 metric tons (MT) from 5,648.5 MT recorded as of May 26 last year, according to data from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).
Of the current inventory in cold storages, NMIS said the bulk consisted of dressed chicken from local raisers. Local inventory reached 12,541.97 MT, a big jump from the 3,810.25 MT recorded in the same period last year.
However, NMIS data showed that inventory of imported chicken also expanded compared to the figure posted last year. Imported chicken in cold storages reached 9,595.18 MT compared to 1,838.25 MT last year.
“There is more than enough chicken so I don’t see the need [for traders] to import,” Agriculture Undersecretary Jose Reano said in an interview.
When asked about the country’s chicken imports last year, Reano also denied that there was a steep increase in local traders’ purchase of poultry meat from abroad.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the country’s purchase of chicken meat from abroad jumped by 73 percent to 165,375.7 MT in 2014 from 95,624.05 MT in 2013.
In its report, titled “Chicken Industry Performance Report,” the PSA said local traders imported the biggest volume of chicken meat at 56,406.47 MT in the fourth quarter of 2014. The volume is more than double the 27,866.96 MT recorded in the same period in 2013. The PSA said imports of chicken meat in July to September last year grew by nearly 80 percent to 43,338.13 MT from 24,130.9 MT recorded a year ago.
“Chicken meat imports was valued at $166.09 million, which was 72.9 percent higher compared with 2013 CIF value,” the report read. Meanwhile, the country’s pork inventory as of May 25 also rose by almost 40 percent to 11,365.24 MT from 8,121.13 MT recorded a year ago.