Chicken, swine, cattle production up in Q1

THE production of chicken, hog and cattle in the country increased in the first three months of 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

Chicken production was estimated at 470,210 metric tons (MT) liveweight in January to March 2023, indicating an annual growth of 3.3 percent from the 455,040 MT liveweight output in the same period of 2022.

Total chicken inventory reached 195.48 million birds as of March 31, 2023, higher by 3.0 percent than the previous year’s same period count of 189.71 million birds.

Central Luzon was the top producer of chicken with 162,440 MT liveweight or 33.75 million birds, equivalent to 34.5-percent share of total chicken production.

This was followed by Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) with 81,060 MT or 28.62 million birds and Northern Mindanao with 21.26 million birds or 44,220 MT.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said the continued growth of domestic chicken production as of the first quarter this year may have been encouraged by higher prices.

“Better weather conditions and higher selling prices may have led to higher production, as well as pick up in demand as the economy reopens further toward greater normalcy,” he said.

The average farmgate price of broiler chicken was P116.14 per kilogram (kg) during the quarter, showing a 9.9-percent increase from the previous year’s same period average farmgate price of P105.70 per kg.

Meanwhile, hog production during the same period was at 437,990 MT, or an increase of 5.1 percent from the 416,720 MT output in January to March 2022.

The country’s total swine inventory was estimated at 10.18 million heads as of March 2023, reflecting a 4.2-percent increase as compared to the previous year’s same period count of 9.77 million heads.

Calabarzon recorded the highest hog output with 61,180 MT liveweight or a 14-percent share to the total hog production.

Farmgate price of hogs reached P170.26 per kg, a decrease of 3.3 percent from the previous year’s same quarter cost of P176.01 per kg.

Ricafort noted that the hog production increased despite the African swine fever that hit more areas or provinces in recent months, especially in some parts of Southern Philippines or the Visayas area.

He added that the decrease in farmgate prices may have to do with increased importation of pork or meat products to increase local supplies.

Meanwhile, cattle production in the country increased by 1.9 percent or 53,890 MT as compared to the 52,890 MT recorded in the same period of the previous year.

During the period, Northern Mindanao was the top producer of cattle with 11,260 MT or 20.9-percent share of the total cattle production.

Total cattle inventory was estimated at 2.7 million heads, a decrease of 0.2 percent compared with the previous year’s same period count of 2.58 million heads.

Central Visayas recorded the highest cattle population of 341,060 heads as of the end of March 2023.

According to the PSA, the average farmgate price of cattle for slaughter was priced at P169.33 per kg, higher by 22.7 percent from the previous year’s average farmgate price of P138.00 per kg.