The country’s pork imports could rise by 11 percent next year to augment local supply and meet the increasing demand for pork, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In its latest “Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade” report, the USDA projected the country’s pork imports to reach 300,000 metric tons in 2019, 30,000 MT over this year’s estimated purchases of 270,000 MT.
The same report also projected that Philippine swine output in 2019 would grow by 1.87 percent to 1.63 million metric tons (MMT), from this year’s expected total production of 1.6 MMT.
The country’s total pork meat demand next year could increase by 3.2 percent to 1.929 MMT, from the estimated consumption of 1.869 MMT this year, the USDA added.
Earlier, Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc. (ProPork) President Edwin G. Chen told the BusinessMirror that the increase in meat demand encouraged local hog raisers to produce more.
In an earlier interview, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol expressed confidence that the country would hit its target hog output of 2.185 MMT for next year.
The volume is 1.3 percent higher than this year’s expected production of 2.157 MMT.
The USDA report also noted that global chicken meat exports next year would reach 11.619 MMT, higher than this year’s estimated shipments of 11.153 MMT.
In 2019 the report indicated that the country’s total chicken meat imports may expand by 9.67 percent to 340,000 MT, from the estimated purchases of 310,000 MT this year.
“[Global] chicken meat exports are forecast a robust 4 percent higher to a new record. Shipments by major traders are fueled largely by rising consumption in developing markets, such as the Philippines, Angola, Cuba and Ghana,” the USDA said.
The United Broilers Raisers Association Inc. (Ubra) said it expects the country’s broiler output this year to expand by 5.4 percent to 970 million heads on the back of higher demand.
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 poultry growers are optimistic that demand for chicken would be higher due to the increase in population and the improvement in the purchasing power of Filipinos.
Image credits: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg