Price ceiling on pork imports suggested

The president of the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. on Monday suggested the imposition of a price ceiling on imported pork following President Rodrigo Duterte's issuance of an executive order that lowers tariff rates on pork imports.

"What I'd like to propose if possible is to impose ceiling for imported pork so that the importers who will benefit from the tariff reduction should pass this over to the consumer, not to their own pockets," Danilo Fausto said in a joint meeting of the House Committees on Agriculture and Food and the Trade and Industry.

"Just to make sure that the suffering of the hog raisers in lieu of... will benefit the consumers not the importers. So I would propose that a price ceiling be imposed on imported products," Fausto added.

In response, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the agency would study the recommendation.

"Pagaaralan po natin. Anyway, it will take time before the first arrival out of lowering tariffs," Dar said.

Duterte issued Executive Order 128, which reduced the tariff rate for imported pork within quota or minimum access volume (MAV)—whether fresh, chilled or frozen— to 5% for the first three months upon the EO’s effectivity and 10% for the fourth to 12th month.

On the other hand, tariff rates for imported meat outside of the MAV have been set to 15% for the first three months upon the EO’s effectivity and 20% for the fourth to the 12th month.

The existing 30% to 40% tariff rate for imported pork will be restored after the 12th month, the EO stated.

Dar has said the EO is already in effect and that the Bureau of Animal Industry is already issuing the necessary import clearances.

Some lawmakers from both chambers of Congress have called for the termination of the order, saying that this could adversely affect local hog raisers and that it will only benefit big importers. — BM, GMA News