PRODUCTION
The total volume of chicken production in 1st semester 2021 was 40,513 metric tons, liveweight. This was 7.53 percent lower than the 43,812 metric tons liveweight chicken production in same period of 2020. Chicken production for both 1st and 2nd quarters decreased by 4.99 and 10.06 percent, respectively.
The Ilocos Region Region contributed 4.85 percent to the national production of 835,880 metric tons liveweight, ranking 6th among regions in the country.
INVENTORY
The total inventory of chicken in Ilocos Region as of January 1, 2021 was 10.81 million birds. It increased by 1.29 percent from previous year’s inventory of 10.68 million birds. The inventory further increased to 11.22 million birds as of April 1, 2021. This was higher by 5.41 percent than last year’s level of 10.64 million birds. Increases in inventory were noted in Ilocos Norte and La Union.
By type of chicken, the inventory of broiler as of April 1, 2021 was 4.88 million birds (Figure 2). It was higher by 14.07 percent compared with 4.28 million birds in the same period of 2020. Likewise, inventory of layers as of April 1, 2021 increased by 3.58 percent. On the otherhand, the total population of Native/improved chicken as of April 1 decreased from 5.21 million birds in 2020 to 5.14 million birds. Native chicken had the highest share to the total chicken inventory in Ilocos Region as of April 1, 2021 with 45.84 percent while broiler chicken and layers shared 43.53 percent and 10.63 percent, respectively.
PRICES
The average farm price of chicken native live for 1st semester 2021 was PhP283.89 per kilo liveweight. This was higher by 5.31 percent than last year’s price of PhP269.56 per kilo liveweight in same period. The highest price recorded was PhP 333.44 per kilo livesweight in May 2021.
Livewise , the average retail price of chicken broiler fully dressed this 1st semester 2021 increased by 6.17 percent from Php 169.03 per kilo in 1st semester 2020. The highest price recorded was Php 185.00 per kilo in March 2021.