July 21st, 2022
House Ways and Means Chair Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd district) is proposing a stronger and more aggressive national corn program to address issues of availability of supply of chicken in restaurants and supermarkets.
“I have has conversations with chicken suppliers, and the problem does not appear to be a shortage of headcount, but quality of chickens being produced. Broiler raisers have brought to my attention the fact that they are not meeting the standards set by their buyers.”
“That, I attribute the nearly 50% increase in the prices of corn feed, year-on-year. And as much as 60% of costs to broiler raising costs are attributable to corn. So, you would expect some broiler raisers to cut back on corn feed, leading to weight issues in produce.”
“The result is chickens are basically malnourished- Chickensad. Essentially, chickenjoyless sila. So, supermarkets and restaurants don’t want to serve them,” Salceda said.
Salceda made the statement in response to issues of chicken dishes being unavailable in fast food chains, restaurants, and other hospitality establishments.
Salceda says that that the short-term solution is to boost local production of corn during the upcoming corn season, which begins in July and will be harvested in September.
“We should ensure delivery of services under the National Corn Program within the peak crop season this July to September. That will be extremely essential to solving the poultry supply quality problem.”
“Fertilizer will be the most crucial assistance, I believe. So, any pending fertilizer assistance programs will also have to be released in strategic corn-producing locations within this peak season. The fastest way to do that is through Fertilizer Discount Coupons, which was a successful program we amplified in Albay when I was Governor. The effect will be immediate on yield.”
In the long run, Salceda says that the passage of a livestock, poultry, and dairy development act, which he filed as House Bill No. 440, will also help address the structural constraints to the livestock and poultry sectors.
The proposal will earmark tariff revenues from corn imports for domestic corn productivity improvement under a Corn Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, which will be at around PHP 2 billion annually.
Other provisions include Rationalization of LPD support agencies into two agencies, namely the Philippine Livestock and Poultry Authority and Bureau of Animal Safety and Regulations; and the exemption from taxes and duties of LPD equipment and machinery.
“Unlike in rice, we can be globally competitive in corn, based on many agricultural experts. So, we can help address livestock and poultry issues through domestic farm support in corn.”
“As I emphasized in a speech in 2020: the problem with livestock and poultry boils down to feeds, feeds, feeds. And corn is the single most essential feed source.”