DA Maintains There is no Chicken Shortage

Manila (PNA) — The Department of Agriculture on Monday asserted that there is no shortage in the supply of chicken in the country despite the effects of Typhoon Glenda on the poultry sector.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Livestock Jose Reaño said that the country still has 3 million kilos chicken in its inventory, so a shortage is a remote possibility.

Reaño said that although Typhoon “Glenda” has indeed affected the supply of chicken from Sothern Luzon, Region 3, the country’s number one chicken-producing region, was spared.

“We are still producing chicken everyday. Besides, it only takes 31 days for poultry to be market ready so there really is no reason for a shortage in the supply of chicken,” he stressed.

Reaño likewise said the DA has been cooperating with the Land Bank of the Philippines to help affected poultry raisers recover faster through in the form of loans at low interest rates so that they may be able to swiftly repair their houses as well as chicken coops.

He added the DA is also working on lowering the rate of the premium for the insurance of chicken.

He said that from July to December of this year, eight to 11 million kilos of chicken should have been the expected chicken output from the Southern Luzon area.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture official said that the agency is looking into why the arrival of imported chicken is delayed.

“If nothing goes wrong, the delay in the arrival of the imported chicken is expected to stabilize by November,” Reaño assured.

In the meantime, the Undersecretary is encouraging consumers to shift from chicken to pork despite prices of chicken remaining stable.

“This is because pork prices these days are low,” he said. (PNA)LGI/CMR

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