MANILA, Philippines – Backyard poultry growers are holding back on expansion plans, while big corporate growers such as San Miguel Corp. (SMC) are expanding in the face of the forthcoming implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).
This was revealed to The STAR by Gregorio San Diego, president of the United Broilers and Raisers Association (UBRA), the country’s major grouping of poultry growers.
According to San Diego, small backyard growers are holding back on expansion plans on fears that the forthcoming implementation of AFTA next year would flood the market with imported chicken.
Full implementation of AFTA next year mandates the ASEAN member countries to bring down to between zero and five percent their tariff rates on a whole range of agreed products.
But while small backyard growers are fearful of AFTA, big corporate farmers such as SMC are apparently seeing an opportunity to possibly increase their export of Avian Influenza-free poultry products.
Because small backyard farmers are holding off on expansion plans, San Diego said, local chicken prices have remained high due to the limited backyard production.
He said the farmgate price for chicken is currently at P88 per kilo which translates to a retail price of P130 per kilo.
Small poultry growers are urging the Department of Agriculture to help the industry become more competitive by helping reduce the production cost which includes electricity cost.
San Diego said the poultry and egg sector is asking President Arroyo to declare a “moratorium” on the implementation of the AFTA agreement.
According to San Diego, the Philippine poultry and egg sector cannot effectively compete against Thailand and Malaysia which are major exporters of poultry.
San Diego argued that while Malaysia and Thailand may still be affected by the Asian Avian flu virus, they would eventually recover and the Philippines would be swamped with Thai and Malaysian poultry and egg exports. –Marianne V. Go, Philippine Star
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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