Wet markets on the way out in Metro Manila?

MANILA, Philippines—Are wet markets on the way out?

For the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the answer is a resounding “yes.”

According to Efren Nuestro, BAI director, the last five years have seen a “tremendous” change in the agricultural retail landscape in cities with supermarkets and groceries becoming the go-to places instead of public wet markets.

Nuestro said that in the past, wet markets enjoyed the patronage of shoppers and were a source of income for backyard producers. But now, the reality is that supermarkets and grocery stores have usurped their place in the public’s consciousness with more and more Metro Manila residents buying their meats from groceries.

The problem with this picture, however, is that it means bad news for small-time hog and poultry growers, who account for 70 percent of the industry.

“These retail establishments are not the usual outlet of backyard producers,” a BAI report said. As a result, the small-time traders find themselves with no market for their goods as grocery shops prefer to get their supply from large producers.

“The so-called backyard producers [have been] left behind by new consumers’ trends, preferences and other market innovations. Therefore, the government should [help put] them in the mainstream of the new emerging markets,” the report added.

Demand for pork and chicken products is on the rise in the Philippines, according to the 2011 agricultural output report of the Department of Agriculture.

BAI cited the popularity of fast-food establishments that sell roasted chicken and “liempo” or pork belly, as well as meat processing, for the increase in demand.

Nuestro said backyard producers should take advantage of the trend, adding that they were eyeing a study to determine the number of small hog raisers to map out specific intervention measures for them.