Poultry imports drop 23% in May
The lockdown has created tremendous trade limitations among producers, retailers and consumers
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) over the weekend said imported poultry meat and poultry products declined by 23 percent from 43,000 metric tons (MT) in January 2020 to 33,000 MT in May this year.
Data from BAI’s National Veterinary Quarantine Services Division showed that the majority or 70 percent of total imports were composed of mechanically deboned meat (MDM), fats, offals and rinds used by industrial processors. MDM is used as raw material by meat processors and is not locally available.
There were partial operation or full closure of local businesses, causing loss of income of consumers.
BAI Director Ronnie Domingo pointed out that the government-imposed lockdown has caused a downturn in the country's socio-economic activities including a decrease in demand for poultry products, which resulted in oversupply in the local market.
Tight situation
“The lockdown has created tremendous trade limitations among producers, retailers, and consumers. There were partial operation or full closure of local businesses, causing loss of income of consumers,” Domingo said, adding that they are now moving to address the supply glut.
Currently, excess meat are being stored in accredited cold storage facilities and plug-in refrigerated vans.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), thus, vowed to strengthen the system to secure the cold storage facilities and to prevent excess meat from being stored in unaccredited systems.
It can be recalled that the DA recently drew flak after it allegedly issued an order limiting the production of local poultry to “give way” to foreign producers.
Resiliency pushed
DA Secretary William Dar, however, argued that they are in constant talks with key industry leaders since the lockdown in mid-March to ensure that the poultry industry will remain resilient despite the global health crisis.
Although the BAI is committed to exercise the full extent of the law based on their mandates to correct irregularities in the products that enter the country, it said it has “no jurisdiction over the volume, format, and type of meat to be imported.”
Moving forward, the agency vowed to continuously boost the local poultry industry as it implements the multi-million national livestock program to support the recovery of the country's livestock and poultry industry and ensure sufficient supply for the consuming public.