THE Department of Agriculture (DA) expects the supply of pork and chicken to be sufficient even with the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to the end of April.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the pork and chicken supply remain at healthy levels despite challenges like African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak and the H5N6 Avian Influenza, or bird flu.
“For instance, we are projecting an ending stock in June 2020 good for 62 days for chicken and 10 days for pork, based on the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and consultations with industry stakeholders themselves,” Mr. Dar said.
Mr. Dar added that by January, the chicken supply is estimated to exceed the annual requirement of 1.3 million metric tons (MT) by 24%, equivalent to more than 400,000 MT and enough to supply the country for 157 days.
The DA also noted that there is an oversupply of pork among producers in the Visayas and Mindanao.
However, the DA said the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) estimates a deficit of around 121,000 MT by the end of the year due to a 21% contraction in the size of the hog herd due to ASF.
“We acknowledge the projected deficit in pork that is why we are rolling out interventions to increase swine production this early. We are requesting funds under the Plant, Plant, Plant Program to increase hog production and support our swine raisers,” Mr. Dar said.
The DA’s P31 billion food security program, known as Plant, Plant, Plant, addresses increased production for many crops, including corn which is used in animal feed, as well as livestock and poultry.
It expanded support for growers of small ruminants like goats and sheep.
Such projects will each receive a budget of P1 billion from Plant, Plant, Plant.
The DA will also strengthen hog raising in ASF-free areas and implement its urban agriculture project which includes native chicken production.
Based on field reports and consultations with hog and poultry industry stakeholders, the DA estimates that 11 regions will post a chicken surplus while seven regions will produce excess pork.
“As we have more chicken than pork, we encourage consumers to shift to the former, and consider other poultry meat, eggs and processed products,” Mr. Dar said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
