Industry Status - Duck

In the Philippines, ducks rank next to chickens for egg and meat production.  In 2005, the duck population was estimated at 10.44 million, of which 7.94 million or 77% were in the backyard farms while the rest were in commercial establishments. Among the regions, Central Luzon which supplies eggs in Metro Manila has 2.44 million ducks. This is followed by Western Visayas with 1.49 million, and Cagayan Valley with 1.35 million.

Duck meat production in 2005 was 49 thousand metric tons valued at 2,747 million pesos which was 8% lower than 2004 production. While duck egg production in 2005 was 53 thousand metric tons valued at 3,013 million pesos, a decrease by 5% over the 2004 production.

Among the avian species, duck is considered as the most versatile because it can subsist under a wide range of climatic and nutritional conditions. Also, duck raising is inexpensive, requires non-elaborate housing facilities and less space for rearing compared to chickens. Moreover, ducks are shown to be relatively hardy, resistant to common avian diseases, and subsist on a variety of feeds.

Eggs are the most important products of the duck industry, because of the increasing demand for duck eggs. Mallard duck eggs are primarily utilized for the production of balut. Other uses of duck eggs are in either fresh form, as component of bakery products or in processed form such as penoy, salted eggs and century eggs.