SMC eyes 27 percent growth in yakitori exports to Japan

Food conglomerate San Miguel Corp. eyes a 27 percent growth in its chicken yakitori exports to Japan due to increased food demand in the wake of the natural disasters that hit the country last month. "There is a strong demand for chicken yakitori in Japan because of the recent calamity. The earthquake (and tsunami) destroyed several (food) processing facilities," said San Miguel-Poultry (SMFI-Poultry) vice president and general manager Rita Imelda Palabyab late Tuesday night. The company declined to reveal the volume and value of its Japan-bound yakitori exports. But according to Palabyab, export volume for the first quarter is already up by 20 percent. Shipments for the month of April may be as much as 30 percent higher year-on-year, she confided. "This year, we expect shipments of Yakitori chicken to outpace our shipments in 2010 (as) Japan requires more food," said Palabyab. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Animal Industry has indicated that the Philippines' total yakitori exports bound for Japan in 2010 hit 3.51 million kilograms —a 63 percent increase compared to the 2.15 million kilograms posted in 2009. The bureau also indicated that April shipments had already exceeded 878,000 kilograms by mid-month. In addition to chicken, the Philippines also exports fresh produce to Japan, including bananas, mangoes, and okra. — TJD, GMA News