Egg producers see no supply shortage by April amid bird flu threat

Contrary to the remark of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the Philippine Egg Board Association (PEBA) said Sunday that it is not seeing a shortage in egg supplies come April despite concerns over bird flu. PEBA president Francis Uyehara said that based on their projection, the country will have enough supply of eggs at least until April and May due to better production.

“Sa ating grupo sa industriya, wala tayong inaasahang kakulangan sa itlog sa darating na April at May. Nagulat din kami doon sa detalye na lumabas sa Department of Agriculture,” Uyehara said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. (For our group in the industry, we do not expect a shortage of eggs this coming April and May.



We were surprised by the statement from the Department of Agriculture.) “Sa aming projection, meron tayong sapat na supply ng itlog at least hanggang April at May. Mas mataas po ang ating produksyon ng itlog ngayong taon kumpara nu'ng nakaraang taon of the same month,” he added.

(Based on our projection, we have enough supply of eggs at least until April and May. Our egg production is higher this year compared to the same month last year.) To recall, Tiu Laurel said that the country may face a supply shortage by April, even as the Philippines has yet to experience a widespread outbreak of bird flu.

He, however, emphasized that there is still time to prevent the projected shortage. "May chance pa naman ma-avert itong sinasabi ko sa Abril dahil Pebrero pa lang naman. But at least, looking forward, there is a problem, and we will act on it,” Tiu Laurel said.

(There is still time to prevent the projected shortage in April since it is only February. But at least, looking forward, there is a problem, and we will act on it.) The Agriculture chief noted that a bird flu outbreak in the US had driven egg prices up due to the culling of millions of egg-laying chickens.

With this, he said the DA was taking proactive measures to stabilize the egg supply and curb potential price hikes amid concerns over bird flu. For PEBA, Uyehara said he doesn't also expect the price of eggs to spike. “Hindi po ganong tataas kasi ang pinakamataas na presyo ng itlog ay nangyayari tuwing Disyembre o holiday season ng Kapaskuhan at Bagong Taon,” he explained.

(The prices won't increase that much because the price of eggs increases most every December or the holiday season during Christmas and New Year.) He, however, pointed out that their projections may change due to certain factors such as possible “multiple outbreak” of bird flu in the country. Uyehara said that with the plan of DA to import hatching eggs, there may be an oversupply of eggs that may affect local farmers.

“‘Pagka nangyari po ‘yun, magkakaro'n tayo ng talagang oversupply at ‘yun ang papatay sa ating local producers kasi nga po, meron nga tayong sapat na supply. Ngayon kung dadagdagan pa nila, ay magkakaroon talaga ng oversupply,” he lamented. (When that happens, we will really have an oversupply and that will affect local producers because we really have enough supply.

Now if they will add to that, then there will definitely be an oversupply.) —KG, GMA Integrated News.