The Department of Agriculture (DA) is withdrawing the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork on the request of industry players.
It is, however, preparing to implement a more effective solution to lower meat prices in the face of a recent surge in African Swine Fever (ASF) cases.
“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.”
“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,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
In the interim, Tiu Laurel encouraged consumers to explore more affordable protein alternatives such as chicken, fish, and beef as the government takes new steps to stabilize pork supply and prices over the coming weeks.
“We will soon implement a new solution to lower prices.”
“We urge our consumers to buy other protein sources instead, or frozen pork that are a lot cheaper than freshly slaughtered hogs. We will soon implement a new solution to lower prices,” the agriculture chief said.
Under the DA’s pricing agreement with stakeholders in the swine industry, the SRP 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.
Nevertheless, 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 8 million.
The DA is now awaiting the approval of the Food and Drug Administration to 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.
