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MANILA - There are signs that the demand for poultry products is picking up after COVID-19 lockdowns gradually ease but oversupply is likely to remain for the rest of the year, Cargill Philippines said Monday.

Cargill Philippines, which supplies poultry products to Jollibee, saw an uptick in poultry demand in retail outlets driven by those working and dining at home, its corporate affairs director Chris Ilagan told ANC.

However, consumer confidence, cap in restaurant dine-in capacity, shuttered schools and offices as well as the overall reduced income of consumers continue to affect demand for in-store consumption, he said.

"We do see that there has been an uptick in poultry demand through retail outlets that means they’re largely cooking these at home and perhaps people are just not ready to be out and about consuming in restaurants," Ilagan said.

“Dine-in CBD (central business districts) areas that is the source of demand that we’re missing….What we’re seeing though is despite that maximum capacity [for dine-in], it is not necessarily being filled,” he added.

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As more public transport become available and as offices gradually reopen, there will be a surge in demand in the coming months, Ilagan said.

Jollibee closed 69 percent of its stores at the peak of the lockdowns but has since reopened majority of the outlets as of today, he said.

Metro Manila and other areas emerged from one of the world's longest lockdowns on June 1. Dine-in options in restaurants were allowed but with limited capacity.

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