The Philippine Star
August 25, 2025 | 12:00am
Wars overseas, shortages at house
MANILA, Philippines — Poultry farmers are as soon as once more positioned at a important juncture as they scramble for delayed manufacturing inputs amid native scarcity, additional exacerbated by international commerce uncertainties.
In a press release, the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Motion (PRRM) raised the alarm on insufficient provide of farm inputs resembling feeds, yellow corn and hatching eggs – all important elements of poultry manufacturing.
PRRM president Edicio dela Torre urged the federal government to expedite the accreditation of enter suppliers to permit farmers entry to cheaper and extra dependable assets.
Presently, the scarcity of farm inputs is elevating manufacturing prices, thereby weakening native competitiveness of the trade.
“Importing inputs as an alternative of frozen hen, supported by quicker accreditation and smarter import controls, would defend farmers, maintain provide and assist handle inflation extra successfully,” Dela Torre mentioned.
He mentioned addressing the scarcity of important inputs would enable farmers to supply extra effectively and sustainably, guaranteeing steady provide and avoiding dependency on completed hen imports.
He argued that the native trade grew by practically 10 p.c early this 12 months. Satirically, it is usually beneath the specter of oversupply of imported hen, miserable farmgate costs however not really bringing down retail prices.
Knowledge confirmed that as of end-June, imported dressed hen in chilly storages stood at practically 36,000 metric tons, up by 17 p.c year-on-year. As such, the present stock is equal to about one month value of additional provide, on high of ongoing manufacturing.
Additional, PRRM known as for the strengthening of native manufacturing via infrastructure enhance, corn tariff discount and truthful entry to feeds and hatching eggs. The hot button is to import inputs when there’s a scarcity or when it’s off season to permit native farmers to thrive.
On the oversupply of imported hen, Dela Torre emphasised the necessity to rationalize the importation course of in order to handle the broad worth hole between farmgate worth of P80 per kilogram and retail costs which vary from P150 to a excessive of P220 per kilo.
“Native farmers, particularly small and medium ones, danger unsustainable losses, typically forcing them to cull flocks,” Dela Torre mentioned.
The PRRM head famous {that a} short-term however efficient resolution to over importation could be an govt order mandating a 60 to 90 day suspension of completed merchandise like frozen hen.
Within the long-run, nevertheless, Dela Torre mentioned data-driven and market-sensitive insurance policies have to be institutionalized to guard farmers from sudden market shocks.
“Our knowledge must also embrace the present nationwide and geopolitical problems with worldwide tariffs imposed by nations just like the US, the continued wars in locations like Taiwan and Ukraine which have an effect on our logistics and the continued considerations of flood management initiatives tied to graft and corruption which might embrace insurance policies affecting our poultry trade,” he mentioned.
