Zeam Voltaire Amper, DA 7 livestock program coordinator, told SunStar Cebu on Thursday, July 7, 2022, that Central Visayas has about 121.4 percent sufficiency level in poultry supply as of this month.
Data from DA’s supply outlook also revealed that as of July, the region has about 76,093 metric tons of chicken and only about 62,684 metric tons are consumed for demand, leaving about 13,408 metric tons as excess stock.
Earlier, news broke out that some popular fast food chains known for selling chicken products closed some of their branches in Metro Manila due to the lack of poultry supply.
Amper said this might have been due to the ongoing epidemic of the Avian Influenza (AI) virus in some poultry farms in the NCR.
Amper said Central Visayas has remained AI-free, stressing that the region has its own chicken production.
But the challenge, he said, comes from the delay in the replacement of chicken broilers due to strict measures implemented by Central Visayas authorities to remain bird flu-free.
This resulted to a slight decrease in the efficiency of poultry production as most replacement stocks come from Luzon and Mindanao, which are affected by the AI virus.
“It is a challenge because, unlike before, if we need broiler stocks, we just call some suppliers in Luzon. Now it’s not that easy with the restrictions, so there’s a delay in replacement. But as of now, we have adequate supply,” said Amper.
Amper said the ongoing delay in replacement stocks might lead to a tight but not a lack of chicken supply in the region at the start of 2023.
He also pointed to the increased demand for chicken during the holiday season this December.
Next to Western Visayas which ranked first and Northern Mindanao which ranked second, Central Visayas currently ranks third in having the most supply of live chicken in the country.