ILOILO City – The supply of chicken and duck eggs in Western Visayas is not a problem, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA), despite the restrictions imposed on poultry from outside the region.
What concerns the DA, said Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter, is the health of the region’s P33-billion poultry industry which is bigger than its P20-billion swine industry.
It should be protected from Avian Influenza or bird flu, she stressed.
For his part, Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas said poultry producers in the region have made assurances that there won’t be an egg shortage despite the moves of many local government units – including the city government – to ban poultry and poultry products from Luzon and Mindanao which reported cases of bird flu.
So why are the prices of eggs projected to increase despite the sufficient supply?
Recoter said it could be due to the high cost of poultry inputs, fuel and feeds.
A piece of egg currently costs between P6 to P9 depending on the size. But there have been reports that the price could jump to between P10 and P15 apiece.
Egg Council of the Philippines (ECP) chair and Agap party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones earlier said many poultry farms have either closed down, sold or reduced their poultry because of bird flu and the high production cost.
Recoter lamented that these are the big and very complicated challenges confronting the agriculture sector.
“Gina-expect naton ang aton DA Secretary who is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to address the challenge of the agriculture sector,” she added.
Early this year, DA-6 linked up with local government units to strengthen surveillance of marshes or wetlands across the region.
In Luzon, cases of bird flu were traced from migratory birds stopping by marshes, Recoter said.
Teams from DA’s Regional Animal Diagnostic Laboratory and Regulatory Division have also been collecting samples for laboratory tests.
“Migratory bird is one source of the virus so damu kita wetlands sa Region 6 nga dira possible magdala sang virus ang mga migratory birds,” said Recoter.
The city government early this month announced it was again prohibiting the entry of live poultry, poultry products and byproducts from Luzon and Mindanao.
“There is a need to protect the poultry industry of Iloilo City and the general public from Avian Influenza,” read Mayor Treñas’ Executive Order No. 005-2022 setting the ban for 30 days.
New cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or bird flu have been recorded in Luzon and Mindanao.
The temporary ban is imposed on the following:
* all live birds (poultry and non-poultry) including day-old chicks, pullets, hatching eggs, ready-to-lay pullets, semen, fresh egg, embryonated eggs, manure, ducks and quails and other poultry products and byproducts from Luzon and Mindanao
* pigeons for racing, flying, training, brooding and other related activities originating from Luzon and Mindanao, and those which have traveled thereto and intending to return to Iloilo City
* gamefowls from Luzon and Mindanao and those which have traveled thereto and intending to return to Iloilo City
Avian Influenza is a highly contagious viral disease caused by any Influenza A virus affecting several species of food producing birds (chickens, turkeys, quails, guinea row,. etc.) as well as pet birds and wild birds./PN
