Philippines to import chicken after typhoon destroys farms

It will be the first time in three years that the country will import dressed chicken, according to the Philippines Department of Agriculture. The department hopes that the imports will arrive by December because demand will be high for the Christmas season.

Damages to the agricultural sector in the Philippines have now been estimated at about P1.19 billion (US$24 million), a figure already twice as high as the original damage estimate of P515 million (US$10.3 million).

Damages to agricultural infrastructure are estimated at P146 million (US$2.92 million).

The typhoon damages will hit many commodities in the country, including staples such as rice, fish and poultry, as well as high value commercial crops such as banana, mango and papaya.

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service reports that industry assessments estimate poultry sector losses at about P250 million (US$5 million). Repairing poultry houses is expected to take a few months, affecting domestic supply.