Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 18) — The Department of Agriculture said the country’s pork and poultry industries can tap export markets in the future once ‘AAA’ dressing plants are completed.
READ: DA says decline in poultry imports means sufficient local production
Bureau of Animal Industry director Ronnie Domingo said in a virtual press briefing on Thursday that the department previously constructed ‘AAA’ dressing plants, but are not yet being used.
Domingo said the P100-million poultry facility is in Tarlac province, while the P150-million pork facility is in Southern Luzon. Inspection of the plants is on-going, with one set on Friday for the Tarlac facility. He said the bureau targets to have these facilities operational within the current administration, which ends in 2022.
He also said that the poultry industry will be able to benefit from this given the current oversupply situation. This will also expand the industry’s market since currently, the local industry can only supply whole chicken, Domingo said.
The director noted that a businessman is willing to add a poultry cutting facility. Negotiation with the DA is still on-going, Domingo said.
“Sabi nya sya na ang bibili ng mga manok sa paligid, doon na puputulin, at ima-market sa ibang bansa,” he explained.
[Translation: He said he will buy the chicken of broiler producers around the area, process it there, and market these to other countries.]
Domingo said there are companies that have this facility, but capacity is limited compared to the demand coming from institutional buyers.
Poultry industry stakeholders recently called for the suspension of poultry importation since this has caused the decline in farmgate prices. They also said that the BAI recommended for them to “self-regulate” given the oversupply of chicken.
However, Domingo said that the oversupply was caused by lower demand due to the quarantine restrictions imposed by the government starting mid-March.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar also said that these imports do not compete in the local market since these are used for processing.
