Solon: Lower tariff rates on pork imports won’t benefit local producers

A House lawmaker on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to reduce tariff rates for imported pork meat will not benefit local pork producers.

"Naiintindihan natin ang pangamba ng Presidente na kailangang masolusyonan ang kakulangan ng supply ng baboy sa merkado na dala ng African Swine Fever (ASF). Pero nakakalungkot na ang naging solusyon dito ay magpapahirap pa lalo sa ating mga kaMagsasakang magbababoy," Magsasaka party-list Representative Argel Cabatbat said in a statement.

(I understand the concern of the President that there is a need to immediately address the low supply of pork meat due to the African Swine Fever. It's just sad that the solution will only worsen the state of local hog producers.)

For Cabatbat, this kind of "band-aid" solution will only benefit huge importers and not local farmers and consumers. 

"Nakita na natin ang ganitong klase ng solusyon sa Rice Tariffication Law na naglayon na pababain ang presyo ng nagkukulang na supply ng bigas sa merkado sa pamamagitan ng pagbawas ng taripa sa importasyon ng bigas," Cabatbat said.

(We already see this solution in the Rice Tariffication Law that aims to lower the price of rice in the market by reducing the tariff on rice imports.)

"Bumaba ba ang presyo ng bigas sa merkado? Gumanda ba ang buhay ng mga rice farmers natin? Sa ganitong klase ng solusyon, talo ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino na konsumer at magsasaka – tanging mga malalaking importer lang ang panalo dito," he added.

(Does this make the price of rice lower? Did the measure help local rice farmers attain a better livelihood? In this kind of solution, only huge importers win.)

He said the Department of Agriculture must instead be given a bigger budget so that they can assist local producers and improve the agriculture sector in the country.

"Kailangang palakasin natin ang lokal na agrikultura at kakayahan natin na pakainin ang ating sariling bansa, lalo na ngayon sa panahon ng pandemya na limitado ang international trade," Cabatbat said.

(We should strengthen the country's agriculture sector and our capacity to produce our own food especially in this time of pandemic wherein international trade is limited.)

In Executive Order 128, Duterte has reduced the tariff rates for imported pork meat to 5% to 20% from 30% to 40% for a year. The lowered tariff rates were recommended by the National Economic Development Authority.

Under EO 128, the tariff rate for imported pork meat within quota or minimum access volume (MAV)—whether fresh, chilled or frozen—will be pegged at 5% for the first three months upon the EO’s effectivity and 10% for the fourth to 12 months.

The tariff rate for imported meat outside of the MAV, however, has been set to 15% for the first three months upon the EO’s effectivity and 20% for the fourth to the 12th months. — BM, GMA News