Poultry production lower in '06
by OTHEL V. CAMPOS
Manila Standard Today (January 16, 2006)

Poultry raisers have cut down their production target this year following government’s self-imposed indefinite ban on the country’s chicken exports to Japan.

“There is no guarantee as to when chicken export to Japan will resume,” a poultry raiser said.

Most poultry raisers have been slowly reducing production to cut losses and overhead costs.

Department of Agriculture data showed poultry output slowing down to 1.41 percent in 2005 from 4.23 in 2004.

The Bureau of Animal Industry said measures had been implemented that would help local stakeholders to regain market access to Japan.

The government and the private sector jointly submitted in November the required documents being asked by Japanese ministry of agriculture, fishery and forestry (MAFF) for the resumption of shipments of processed chicken.

“We set out all the requirements but we have gotten word that the authorities who should be deciding on the merits of the petition will be very busy in the coming months in preparation for the state visit of US President (George) Bush to Japan this year,” BAI director Davinio Catbagan said.

MAFF representatives earlier said they have yet to translate the submitted English text into the Japanese language when the Philippine Consulate in Japan inquired about the update on the issue.

MAFF is apparently reluctant to re-open its market to Philippine processed chicken exporters despite the completion of the required documents, a poultry raiser said.

“It is rather ironic that Japan wouldn’t allow exporters to resume shipment (of processed chicken) when in fact, the Philippines, a bird flu-free country, continues to export rare exotic tropical birds to the likes of Germany and Singapore,” Catbagan said.

The source said Japan could be hesitant to resume processed chicken import from the Philippines since a number of Japanese major trading houses had already accumulated inventory from Thailand suppliers before Thailand was struck by the bird flu virus.