ABSTRACT
This study explored what makes broiler chicken supply chain efficient in selected municipalities in Aklan. It examined farmers’ experiences from procurement to distribution, the determinants of efficiency, and the challenges and opportunities within the system. Using an exploratory qualitative design, data were gathered through face-to-face interviews and direct observations to capture the realities of daily operations. Efficiency arises from practical strategies such as managing multiple suppliers, monitoring flock health, optimizing feed, and personally coordinating deliveries. Marketing and distribution are closely linked to production, while cooperative networks offer guidance, logistical support, and a buffer against disruptions. Structural hurdles like limited hatcheries, feed dependency, and fragmented markets challenge farmers, yet the supply chain remains resilient through adaptive management, relational trust, and experience-based decision-making. Insights highlight local feed production, technical training, cooperative purchasing, and market coordination as key approaches to strengthen operations and enhance resilience.
Keywords: broiler chicken, supply chain efficiency, poultry production, cooperative networks, forecasting
INTRODUCTION
In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, how products move from producers to consumers can make or break livelihoods. Every step—sourcing materials, managing production, and delivering to buyers—shapes costs, quality, and profitability. Small delays, misaligned schedules, or unexpected disruptions can ripple across entire systems, creating uncertainty and financial risk. For businesses of all sizes, efficiency is no longer just a competitive advantage; it is essential for survival. Coordinated networks, commonly called supply chains, allow organizations to align resources, collaborate toward shared goals, and remain adaptable in the face of change, balancing cooperation and independence to navigate complex and unpredictable environments.
Broiler production in Aklan provides a clear example of these dynamics on a local scale. While the process may appear simple—raising chicks, providing feed and medicines, and selling to buyers—each cycle involves a series of interconnected decisions that affect costs, survival rates, and overall returns. Choices regarding suppliers, input quality, delivery timing, and market access determine whether a cycle generates profit or financial strain. Small-scale raisers operate with narrow margins and limited financial buffers, making them vulnerable to fluctuations in input prices, chick quality, delivery schedules, and market prices. Efficiency in this context extends beyond what happens inside the poultry house, reflecting how sourcing, production, and distribution connect and function together.
Despite the prevalence of 45-day broiler farmers in Aklan, limited research has examined how they experience and manage these interconnected processes. Most studies focused on productivity indicators or resilience in broader agricultural settings, leaving local supply chain realities underexplored. A closer look at how farmers secure inputs, manage risks, coordinate with buyers, and sustain repeated production cycles provides insight into what supports efficiency and what constrains it. This study explored these lived experiences within the framework of supply chain efficiency, aiming to present a grounded understanding of how the broiler chicken farming businesses operates in Aklan and where meaningful improvements may emerge.
see PDF attachment for more information