The country’s broiler output this year could expand by 5.4 percent to 970 million heads on the back of higher demand, according to the United Broilers Raisers Association Inc. (Ubra).
Ubra President Elias Jose Inciong said broiler production in 2018 may reach 960 million to 970 million heads, higher than last year’s output estimated at 920 million heads.
The expected total broiler output this year translates to about 1.248 billion kilograms to 1.261 billion kg at an average weight of 1.3 kg per broiler.
Inciong said the broiler farms’ expansion is rooted on the optimism that demand would be higher due to the increase in population and the improvement in the purchasing power of Filipinos.
Nonetheless, Inciong said the 5-percent broiler output expansion is “organic” as the sector has been growing at such a pace for the past five years.
In fact, Ubra projected that total broiler output this year to reach 1.3 billion heads but Inciong said due to “multiple factors” in the first half, output would fall short of this estimate. In 2017 Ubra projected an output of 1.135 billion heads.
“We are really expecting more than usual but the reality is we have a problem at the breeder side,” Inciong said during a forum in Quezon City on September 13.
“The female lines are more or less perfect in nature but the male lines, that is where the industry are having problems for the past two to three years. It is either the male lines are super aggressive or lacks libido,” he added.
Furthermore, Inciong said some of the factors that cuts demand for broiler includes the hike in global oil prices, the increase in United States Fed rates and the increase in the prices of utilities and other commodities.
“This reduces the consumers’ dispensable money for meat,” he said.
Based on the estimates of Ubra, the bulk of the production would be in the fourth quarter wherein climatic conditions are more favorable for broiler output.
Image credits: Bloomberg