DA says higher MAV for pork already approved by Duterte 'in principle'

President Rodrigo Duterte has already approved "in principle" increasing the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday, as the government scrambles to keep prices at manageable levels.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said consultations are ongoing on the proposal to increase the volume of pork that may be imported at lower tariffs, given the low supply amid the outbreak of the African swine fever (ASF) in the country.

"In principle, the President has already approved 'yung MAV Plus. Nasa proseso lang po tayo para wala naman masabi na walang consultation na nagawa," he said during the Laging Handa virtual briefing.

Dar earlier said the DA is planning to triple the MAV this year to 162,000 metric tons from 54,000 metric tons previously, along with the price ceiling implemented on pork and chicken prices effective February 8, 2021.

The price cap per kilogram of P270 is mandated for kasim and pigue, P300 for liempo, and P160 for dressed chicken, but latest data from the DA show that prevailing prices of pork ham (kasim) were at P350 per kilogram, and pork belly (liempo) at P380 per kilogram as of last Friday, February 05.

Several retailers joined the pork holiday on Monday

The DA earlier blamed the storms and typhoons in the last quarter of 2020 and the ASF outbreak for the recent spike in prices of agricultural goods such as pork and chicken, among others.

"Ang problema na nakita natin nu'ng nakalipas na tatlong weeks, 'yung mga biyahero, 'yung mga traders at tsaka wholesalers dito sa Metro Manila, sila 'yung nagdidikta na ng mataas na presyo," Dar said Monday.

Moving forward, Dar said shipments are expected to arrive in Metro Manila from other areas in the country that have not been affected by the ASF, such as the 10,000 hogs that will be shipped from Mindanao every week as committed by the Southern Cotabato Swine Producers Association (SOCOSPA).

The DA is also providing transport costs to lower farmgate prices at a range of P165 to P171 per kilogram. Transport costs have been set at P21 per kilogram for those coming from Mindanao, P15 per kilogram for those from Visayas, Mimaropa, Bicol, and extreme north Luzon, and P10 per kilogram for those from Calabarzon and central Luzon. —KG, GMA News