Farmers group says pork supply issues continue to hound industry

A significant number of bulk buyers of pork in the country continue to be temporarily closed amid supply issues brought about by the African swine fever, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said.

According to SINAG, supply issues continue to hound the industry driving down the consumption in Metro Manila where a family of five now consumes only 1 to 2 kilograms of meat a week from as 4 kilograms previously.

"Bulk buyers remain closed/partially open (resorts, malls, restaurants, tourist spots, recreation areas," the farmers' group said in a presentation.

SINAG also said pork vendors now average sales of two heads a day instead of five to six heads previously.

For its part, the Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier blamed the ASF and the typhoons in the last quarter of 2020 for the decline in supply in Metro Manila. It has since outsourced supplies from other regions to add to the stockpile in the metropolis where prices have surged.

The government has also imposed a price ceiling per kilogram of P270 for kasim and pigue, and P300 for liempo until April 8. This has forced some retailers to stop selling given as they would not be able to make profits.

"By maintaining it, the government will send a strong signal to Filipino consumers -- who suffer from lower incomes due to the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our economy -- that it does care about their welfare,"  Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a separate statement.

"Hog producers, wholesalers, and retailers are no less expected to do their share in helping the country’s economic recovery effort," he added.

Data from the DA show prevailing prices per kilogram of pork ham (kasim) at P320 and pork belly (liempo) at P350 as of Tuesday, March 9. Both are above the government's price ceiling.

"Lifting it (the price cap) will undeniably result in a dramatic rise in prices of pork and chicken, given that the African swine fever crisis is still raging and thus continues to impact on local production of hogs nationwide," said Dar.

"That is why we need to augment the current shortfall, estimated at 400,000 metric tons this year, from ASF-free countries," he added, defending proposals to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork.

The government is also looking to increase the MAV for pork to 388,790 metric tons (MT) this year from the current 54,000 MT to augment local supply as the DA project a deficit of 400,000 MT. — RSJ, GMA News