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
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
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Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
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