According to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Philippine and Chinese officials are preparing the implementing rules and regulations for the protocols on exports of heat-processed poultry meat to China.

The DA is also assisting exporters in completing their requirements for the export of Philippine chicken to the European Union, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Middle East. The Philippines currently exports breeder day-old chicks to Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Nepal.

The country exports processed chicken to Hong Kong, Japan, USA, Dubai, Korea, Iran and Mauritius.

Fresh frozen chicken is exported to the United Arab Emirates and Japan.

From 1.206 million metric tons in 2006, poultry production is projected to reach 1.238 million MT in 2007, or a growth of 2.66 percent.

Major poultry production areas include Pangasinan, which is targeted to produce 34,355 MT; Isabela, 23,024 MT; Nueva Vizcaya, 88,904 MT; Quezon, 16,347 MT; and Iloilo, 17, 469 MT.

The poultry industry contributes 9.26 percent to the total value of agriculture, ranking third next to hogs (14.26 percent) and palay (18.3 percent).

The poultry industry’s gross value was pegged at P81.96 billion last year, or an increase of 2.85 percent over the 2005 level, but the volume of production slightly dropped by 0.8 percent to 1.205 million MT compared to 2005.

Source: ABS-CBNnews.com