DA withdraws pork MSRP 

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday announced it withdrew the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork products.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the lifting of the MSRP policy for pork was made “on the request of industry players.”

“While the industry tried to comply with the MSRP, the severe shortage in swine production due to ASF, combined with strong consumer demand, has made it increasingly difficult to keep pork prices down,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr.

The Agriculture chief, however, said the DA is preparing to implement a more effective solution to lower meat prices in the face of a recent surge in African Swine Fever (ASF) cases.

“We urge our consumers to buy other protein sources instead, or frozen pork that is a lot cheaper than freshly slaughtered hogs. We will soon implement a new solution to lower prices,” he said. 

Under the DA’s pricing mechanism, the MSRP was previously set at P380 per kilo for liempo, P350 for pigue and kasim, and P300 for sabit-ulo (fresh carcass). 

These price points were intended to reflect fair value across the supply chain while shielding consumers from excessive markups, according to the Agriculture chief.

Since the policy was implemented on March 10, the DA has been lamenting low compliance with the MSRP at only about 30%.

Tiu Laurel said retail pork prices have remained high, with industry groups pointing to the ASF resurgence as a key factor disrupting supply and dampening production. 

Since the first outbreak in 2019, the national hog inventory has declined from approximately 13 million heads to just eight million.

As part of a long-term solution, the DA is now awaiting the approval of the Food and Drug Administration for its clearance for the commercial rollout of the ASF vaccine, possibly later this year, before implementing an aggressive repopulation plan that should bring back domestic production to pre-ASF levels by 2028. 

The vaccine will significantly enhance the likelihood of success for the repopulation program, according to Tiu Laurel. —LDF, GMA Integrated News