The country’s dressed-chicken inventory declined for the fifth consecutive week as demand for poultry continues to improve after the government declared that it was able to contain the bird-flu outbreak.
Data from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) showed the country’s chicken inventory in accredited cold storages reached 20,110.58 metric tons (MT) as of October 30, 24.37 percent lower than the previous week’s 26,593 MT.
NMIS data also indicated that the latest dressed-chicken inventory level was nearly 40 percent lower than the 33,140.99 MT recorded in the same period last year.
The bulk of the inventory during the period consisted of locally produced chicken. Local dressed chicken in cold storages amounted to 11,570.11 MT, 34.36 percent lower than the previous week’s 17,625.45 MT.
Data from the attached agency of the Department of Agriculture showed poultry growers in Region 3, which was struck by bird flu, have disposed of nearly all the dressed chicken in the region’s cold storages.
Locally produced dressed chicken in Central Luzon declined by 98.62 percent to 88.99 MT, from the previous week’s 6,467 MT. The figure was also 99.28 percent lower than last year’s inventory of 12,480.19 MT.
Industry sources earlier said some poultry growers were forced to store dressed chicken so they won’t incur more losses. Demand for chicken fell drastically after the government announced on August 11 that bird flu struck some farms in Pampanga.
Earlier, United Broilers Raisers Association President Elias Jose Inciong told the BusinessMirror that poultry growers have started selling their dressed chicken so they could earn and resume production.
“They are selling what they can to generate working capital. Growers who were forced to sell to stores are in dire need of capital,” Inciong said in an earlier interview.
Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed the farm-gate price of broiler continued its upward trend, reaching P92.56 per kilogram as of October 23. The figure was slightly higher than the P92.07 per kg recorded on October 16.
On a monthly basis, the P92.56 per kg farm-gate price was 68.08 percent higher than the P55.07 per kg recorded on September 22, BAI data showed.
BAI data also revealed that the retail price of dressed chicken as of October 23 was pegged at P142.08 per kg, 2.03 percent higher than the previous week’s P139.25 per kg.
In an earlier interview, Manolette Gaerlan of the BAI’s Livestock Group told the BusinessMirror that some poultry growers have started to withdraw dressed chicken from cold storages.
“We are now going into the holiday season, so we are expecting demand for poultry to increase. Demand for chicken would peak from December 15 to January 1, when parties are usually held,” Gaerlan said.