animal science

assignment last semester

INDUSTRY STATUS - CHICKEN

Poultry is the most progressive animal enterprise today. It is one of the world’s major and fastest producers of meat while in the Philippines, it has been a significant contributor to the country's agriculture sector.

In 2010, the chicken population in the Philippines was estimated 159 million,  slightly higher (0.2 percent) than last year’s level.  Layer and native chicken inventory grew by 13 and 2 percent, respectively.  Almost 50 percent of the total chicken population was accounted for native or village chicken raised in backyard farms while the remaining 32.8% (broilers) and 18% (layers) were taken up by commercial broilers.

Despite the level of sophistication it has achieved, the local industry is still faced with problems that deter its further development. The Philippine broiler industry is now faced with the challenge of beefing up production through importation of chicken meat and chicken meat cuts. Although some broiler integrators are exporting increasing volumes of broiler meat, a significant quantity of cut-up broiler meat is also being imported into the country. The continuing importation of leg quarters at dumped prices poses a major problem to local broiler production. The unreasonably low-priced imported leg quarters are causing significant price distortion of broiler meat in the country that is seriously hurting local producers. There is also a wide disparity between farmgate and retail prices of broiler that causes problems particularly to local individual broiler producers.

In addition, among the recent problems encountered by poultry producers worldwide is the apparent reduction of chicken meat consumption that is brought about by the major outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Ebola Reston virus. These events caused the exceedingly high prices of broiler meat and a build up in inventory.

Regardless of the indications of decline of competitiveness in international relations and the huge difficulties in production, the country has efficiently marshaled all resources to prevail over the glitches and the potential of the poultry industry remains high so far.

Problems

‰ The high cost of feed continues to be a limiting factor in the sector’s growth.

‰ Posing a threat for the Broiler Industry is the possible entry of the Bird Flu

virus into the country.

‰ Competition for the local market via smuggled chicken