Poultry farmgate prices plunge to as low as P65/kilo – UBRA

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April 16, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Local poultry raisers are bracing for tougher times as farmgate prices plunge to as low as P65 per kilo in major producing areas, the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) said.

The group said yesterday that the escalating war in the Middle East has forced small and medium-sized broiler farms to absorb the increased operational costs of rising fuel prices, as Filipinos prioritize key expenditures such as fuel.

UBRA chairman Elias Jose Inciong said demand for broiler chicken has gone down in recent weeks as the Middle East conflict continues to drive fuel prices upward, which resulted in the collapse of farmgate prices.

“It will always be about supply and demand. How are we going to pass the increase in costs if there is no demand since Filipinos are tightening their belts? It will be the raisers who will absorb the higher expenses,” he said.

Local chicken production rose to 2.28 million metric tons in 2025, a 10-percent increase compared to the 2.08 million MT a year earlier, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The farmers group said the industry’s substantial and sustained increases in production showed that raisers remained “aggressive in meeting the growing demand for animal protein by Filipinos as chicken meat remains as one of the most affordable protein sources in the market.”

Industry groups earlier rejected the Department of Agriculture’s plan to increase the minimum access volume for imported chicken due to a reported overproduction and the drop in farm prices.

UBRA also urged authorities to probe the alleged abuse of a meat importer that outsourced raw material processing into products, including chicken rice meals, which end up in the local market.

“This abuse of privileges and even rules by an investor is unjustifiable in any way. We call on the government to investigate such a case to safeguard the domestic poultry industry,” Inciong said.