Philippine chicken demand drives production, import growth

Philippine chicken consumption continues to climb as domestic farms increase output and imports supplement local supply, reflecting the protein’s growing role in household diets, restaurants and food processing.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Manila estimates Philippine chicken meat consumption at 2.491 million metric tons in 2026 and forecasts it to reach 2.704 million metric tons in 2027, an 8.6% increase.

The latest estimate is higher than the roughly 2.38 million metric tons for 2026 cited in a European poultry industry campaign, which drew from USDA-FAS Manila’s September 2025 outlook.

That earlier USDA report estimated 2025 chicken consumption at 2.236 million metric tons, up from 2.060 million metric tons in 2024, or an increase of about 8.5%.

USDA-FAS said chicken demand has been supported by its relatively lower price compared with other major animal proteins, consumer interest in alternative protein sources and the wide availability of chicken products.

Chicken has also remained a fixture in Filipino cooking, particularly in pagkaing pangulan, or warm and hearty dishes commonly associated with the rainy season.

Domestic poultry production has expanded alongside consumption, helping the country meet part of the additional demand locally.

Philippine Statistics Authority data showed poultry production reached 858,360 metric tons in the fourth quarter of 2025, 8.9% higher than the 788,170 metric tons recorded in the same period a year earlier.

Chicken accounted for 71.5% of total poultry production during the quarter, with chicken output increasing 9.4% year on year.

Imports, however, remain an important additional source of supply as domestic demand continues to expand.

Bureau of Animal Industry data showed chicken meat imports reached 540,522 metric tons in 2025, about 540.5 thousand metric tons, up 14.47% from 472,211 metric tons in 2024.

Mechanically deboned meat accounted for the largest share of those chicken shipments at 288,326 metric tons, followed by chicken leg quarters at 143,923 metric tons.

European suppliers also increased their presence in the Philippine market, according to figures cited by the “European Poultry – From Our Farms to Your Tables” campaign.

The campaign said European Commission data showed EU poultry exports to the Philippines reached 67,300 metric tons in 2025, up from 41,300 metric tons in 2024, an increase of more than 63%.

Poland was the largest EU supplier in 2025, shipping 45,400 metric tons of poultry to the Philippines and accounting for more than two-thirds of the EU total, according to the campaign.

Poland’s share increased further in the first half of 2026, when it accounted for around 84% of EU poultry supplies to the Philippine market, the campaign said.

“Rising poultry consumption in the Philippines creates opportunities both for the development of local production and for cooperation with international suppliers. For importers, processors and the foodservice sector, reliable supply, product quality and food safety are key considerations. The EU poultry sector has extensive experience in serving international markets and can meet these needs by offering products produced in line with the common standards that apply across the European Union,” said Dariusz Goszczyński, president of Poland’s National Poultry Council-Chamber of Commerce.

European Union poultry production is governed by common rules covering food safety, hygiene, animal health and welfare, and traceability, while established production and logistics networks allow suppliers to serve distant markets such as the Philippines.

The “European Poultry – From Our Farms to Your Tables” campaign, which carried Goszczyński’s statement and the EU trade figures cited above, is co-funded by the European Union and promotes awareness among Filipino consumers and industry representatives of European poultry production standards and product origins.