PHILIPPINES MEAT IMPORTS.
THE Philippines imported 45.77 million kilograms of various chicken products from other countries in 2008, according to data released by the United States Department of Agriculture (DA).
Citing data from the National Veterinary Quarantine Service under the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) noted that the 2008 figure is 2 percent higher than what the Philippines imported in 2007.
The Philippines imports mostly chicken-leg quarters, but FAS noted that importation of the chicken part was down by 35 percent in 2008.
"Adequate domestic production of chicken, coupled with the uncertainty caused by the review on Minimum Access Volume [MAV] and delays in the issuance of MAV licenses contributed in part to the decline in chicken-leg quarter imports," the FAS report noted.
FAS, however, observed that importation of mechanically deboned chicken used mainly in meat processing was up by 41 percent to 25.42 million kilograms.
Other chicken products imported by the Philippines are chicken cuts, chicken offal, fats, rind/skin and whole chicken.
FAS noted that Manila’s main sources of chicken are Canada (accounting for 38 percent), the US (30 percent) and Brazil (18 percent).
Annual MAV utilization for poultry meat in the last three years, FAS noted, has averaged around 90 percent. But, this has been declining in part due to the elimination of special safeguard duties for mechanically deboned chicken.
Of the 23,490 MT chicken imports allowed by the Philippine government under MAV, FAS noted that around 85 percent or 19,989 MT (equivalent to 19.98 million kilos), were imported into Manila.
MAV refers to the quantity of an agricultural product that may be imported in a year at the in-quota tariff rate committed by the Philippines to the World Trade Organization. The in-quota and out-quota tariff for chicken is at a uniform rate of 40 percent.
Citing analysts, FAS said consumer food demand this year will be dampened by the ongoing global economic crisis.
The agency, however, said concerns about Ebola Reston virus in pigs may result in some shift to chicken from pork by consumers.
In 2008 the country’s chicken production, valued at about $2 billion, increased by 5.76 percent over the previous year.
