DA revives Livestock Data Analytics Group

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday announced the revival of the Inter-Agency Livestock Data Analytics Group (LDAG) in a bid to ensure market stability and address price volatility and supply fluctuations.

In a statement, the DA said the LDAG—which will focus on efforts to streamline the collection, analysis, and reporting of key livestock and poultry data—will be led by Undersecretary for Livestock Dante Palabrica as chairman.

The LDAG will coordinate with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to define and address data requirements, and will generate scenario-based supply and demand outlooks, as well as develop trend analyses and produce livestock and poultry situationers.

“We need up-to-date data on market trends and behavior to ensure that the policies we formulate and the actions we take safeguard and promote the growth of the industry—even as we protect consumers,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

“The market is dynamic, hence the need for better and more reliable information for accurate forecasts and timely decisions,” he added.

Latest data available from the price monitoring of the DA show that prices of pork ham or kasim in Metro Manila markets averaged P365.42 per kilo, and pork belly or liempo at P410.26 per kilo from April 7 to 12, 2025, while prices of fully dressed chicken averaged P197.98 per kilo.

The MSRP took effect on March 10—P380 per kilo for liempo, P350 per kilo for kasim and pigue in wet markets across the National Capital Region (NCR), and P300 per kilo for pork sold by traders to retailers, excluding supermarkets and hypermarkets.

Retailers earlier said they struggle to meet the MSRP because they cannot sell other pork cuts, forcing them to offset losses through kasim and liempo sales. They also cited the high biosecurity costs, given the African swine fever. — BM, GMA Integrated News