Duterte recommends hiking minimum pork imports to 350,000 MT

Amid protest from various groups, Malacañang on Friday evening confirmed that President Rodrigo Duterte recommended increasing the minimum volume of pork imports to 350,000 metric tons (MT).

“This is to immediately augment the supply of pork, stabilize increasing prices, and address the pressing issues on food security,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

The Department of Agriculture previously eyed increasing the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork to at least 400,000 MT from the current 54,000 MT as pork supply decreased in the country due to the African swine fever.

The MAV refers to the volume of a specific agricultural commodity that may be imported with a lower tariff.

Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PPFP) Vice President Nicanor Briones previously said the hike will only benefit importers.

“[S]a halip na kami’y tulungan, ang tinutulungan pa nila ‘yung mga importers na mawawala ‘yung 20 billion na taripa,” he said.

[Instead of helping us, they’re helping importers by removing the P20 billion in tariffs.]

A party-list representing the agriculture sector also said that around
P13.95 billion in revenues will be lost if the DA will push through with the proposed reduction of tariffs and increasing the MAV allocation on pork imports.

At present, there is a price ceiling of P270 per kilo for kasim and pigue, P300 per kilo for liempo, and P160 per kilo for chicken. — DVM, GMA News