Villar questions composition of advisory council proposing more pork imports

Senator Cynthia Villar on Monday questioned the composition of an advisory council which proposed to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) of pork imports.

During the Senate agriculture panel inquiry into the rising food prices, Villar asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) to enumerate the members of the advisory council which recommended increasing the MAV.

The MAV advisory council had endorsed to the DA to increase the MAV by 350,000 metric tons, from the current 54,210 metric tons to 404,210 metric tons to address the shortage of food supply.

A reduction of tariff for pork imports under the MAV scheme from 30% to 5% this year was also proposed.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar earlier said if pork import tariff will be reduced, retail prices will fall within the government’s mandated price ceiling.

Responding to Villar, DA Assistant Secretary Noel Padre said the MAV advisory council is composed of representatives from the pork, chicken, grain, sugar, trading, meat processing, non-meat processing, and the agricultural and fishery sectors.

Villar commented that most of the members of the advisory council are concerned with increasing the MAV and decreasing tariffs to the detriment of local producers.

"Parang hindi balansyado ang iyong council to decide on this, kasi mas marami 'yung gusto ang mas mababa ang tariff. Dapat tinanong ninyo ang effect nito sa local hog industry," she said.

"If you will look at the composition of your MAV [council], majority nito gusto mababa ang tariff, mataas ang MAV. It doesn't represent 'yung hog sector, 'yung livestock sector that will be affected by this. Dapat 'yun ang tinanong ninyo kasi sila talaga ang tatamaan nito," she added.

Padre, however, pointed out to Villar that the Tariff Commission is the body concerned with decreasing tariffs, but she said it was the DA itself who made the suggestion to the commission.

Villar has expressed concern about the proposal to reduce tariffs. She said tariffs help protect domestic industries and remedy trade distortion.

"[The proposed reduction of tariff] was quite alarming as instead of improving the economy, this move might kill the industry," she said.

"Under the guise of protecting, DA appears to be incentivizing importers who for sure have already earned a lot during the past few years they are in the industry," she added.

Padre said the position of the MAV advisory council has yet to be reconciled.

"Sa usapin ng MAV Plus, kailangan kasing i-consult 'yung MAV advisory council. Bagama't hindi sila lahat galing sa pork sector, lahat sila kinakausap kapag MAV ang pinag-uusapan," he said.

For Villar, import tariffs should not be lowered and instead be collected to be used as subsidy for local hog raisers.

"Huwag mong papatayin ang local industry mo, because that is the long-term of the Philippines. Ito short-term lang ito. Pero 'yung one year na papatayin mo 'yung industry baka hindi na maka-recover yan," she said.

"Ngayon lang ako nakakita ng DA na hindi mahal ang local industry," she added.

Prices of pork in Metro Manila wet markets rose to as much as P420 per kilo for liempo, and P400 per kilo for pigue and kasim last month as supply ran low due to the African swine fever.

To address the issue, President Rodrigo Duterte imposed a price ceiling in the capital region for 60 days upon the recommendation of the DA.

The price ceiling is P300 per kilo for liempo, P270 per kilo for kasim and pigue, and P160 per kilo for dressed chicken.—AOL, GMA News