Jollibee and McDonald's have blamed sub-standard poultry supply for the lack of fried chicken on the menus of some of their branches, with producers citing high costs for the shortfall in quality.
Poultry farmers are trying to avoid further losses as production costs increase. Fast food giants buy chicken based on a contract that fixes the price over several months, which forced them to take a hit, Elias Incion, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association.
For the first time, Incion told TV patrol that a new "small" category was produced, which can't meet the requirements of Jollibee and McDonald's. "Isang hamon 'yon dati wala naman yang size na yan sa pamilihan."
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McDonald's chicken fillet and nuggets are imported while bone-in fried chicken is sourced locally, said spokeswoman its Adi Timbol-Hernandez.
"Meron naman pong manok. Pag pumunta kayo sa palengke, meron. Punta kayo sa grocery, meron kayong mabibiling manok. Pero yung size, o timbang ng manok ,hindi sya swak o pasok sa requirements namin," she told ABS-CBN News.
Jollibee, whose biggest menu item is Chickenjoy, said it was hopeful supply would stabilize soon.
Finance Sec. Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday inflation would remain "elevated" in the near term, after consumer prices rose by a higher-than-expected 6.1% in June.
Elevated inflation means food security and transportation are among the most urgent problems for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who has been in office for a week.
ALSO READ: How Bongbong Marcos Plans to Tame Inflation
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