DA sees egg supply shortage due to rise in chicken feed prices

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday said there could be a supply shortage of eggs due to the increase in the prices of chicken feed.

“Inaasahan natin na magkakaroon ng paghihigpit sa supply dahil tumataas ang [presyo ng] patuka,” DA Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Noel Reyes said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

(We expect that there will be supply constraints due to rise in feed prices.)

United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) earlier floated a possible egg supply shortage as the prices of corn, which is used to make chicken feed, increased from P14 to P22 per kilogram.

Also, soybean prices rose to P55 per kilogram from P27, according to UBRA.

With these price hikes, UBRA warned that in six months, there could be a shortage of supply of eggs if the price of chicken feed continues to increase.

Currently, medium-sized eggs are valued at an average P6.50 each, according to Reyes.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture official said supply of chicken is still sufficient, noting that its prices range from P160 to P180 per kilogram depending on the size of the chicken.

Likewise, Reyes said the supply of vegetables is enough for the holiday season.

“Marami tayong (We have a lot of) lowland and highland vegetables,” he said.

However, he said “andap” or frost affecting vegetables in the highlands may be a challenge “pero hindi ito masyadong makakaapekto [sa supply] (will not affect the supply much).”

Reyes said the DA in the Cordillera Administrative Region is giving sprayers to vegetable farmers to dissolve the frost in their produce. —KG, GMA News