Friday, March 23, 2007 RP demand for US poultry, eggs ‘increasing’
THERE is increasing demand in the country for poultry and egg products from the United States, an official of the US Poultry and Egg Export Council (USPEEC) said.
“Poultry consumption in the Philippines has been increasing because more and more Filipinos have come to realize that poultry products like chicken and turkey make good alternatives to pork,” said USPEEC president James Sumner.
Poultry products, he said, are rich in protein and low in fat.
USPEEC regional director Margaret Sy said about 20,000 metric tons of US poultry products enter the Philippine market annually.
Sumner said 30 percent of poultry products in the country are consumed by food processing industries while the rest goes to the food and retail service sectors.
He said chicken leg quarters are among the popular export products in the country.
Sumner, meanwhile, said that while the Philippines continues to be a significant market for the US, the number of US poultry products is still limited due to the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) imposed by the country’s agriculture sector. MAV limits the amount of imported poultry products.
Top export markets for US poultry products are Russia, which accounts for almost 40 percent, and China, with about 25 percent. The rest goes to Mexico, Canada, and Singapore, he said.
“We hope to continue getting a good market for US poultry products here,” he told Sun.Star Cebu during the Trade Reception held at the Ocean Pavillion of Shangri-la’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa last Wednesday.
Price hike
Sumner is optimistic about capturing a good market for US poultry products because according to him, a future increase in the prices of corn and other feed products used by animals like chicken and pigs, will also mean an increase in the prices of meat products.
“Consumers around the world will soon find out that the cost of meat will be expensive over time. It’s worst for pork. Chicken is a more efficient alternative,” he said.
USPEEC is a non-profit organization that represents the export interest of the US poultry industry. It was organized to promote trade and export of US poultry and egg products worldwide.
USPEEC supplies 95 percent of poultry products worldwide, Sumner said.
The organization has partnered with the US Department of Agriculture to further establish its presence in the global poultry market.
