A House leader on Tuesday took the Department of Agriculture (DA) to task for recommending to the Palace that the country increase pork imports following local pork production shortfalls as a result of Asian swine fever (ASF).
“When there are issues in local agricultural production, the DA’s default response is importation,” lamented Deputy Speaker and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr.
“I believe they need to rethink and reconsider this approach. The solution is support, not import––more support the local hog industry so they can recover faster from their losses as a result of ASF.”
The lawmaker aired concerns that lowering the tariffs on pork and increasing the minimum access volume (MAV) of pork would deal fatal blows to an industry already battered by ASF.
“When there are issues in local agricultural production, the DA’s default response is importation.”
“Given how the data shows that the country’s pork consumption will only increase in the years to come, it only makes sense for the DA to take steps to strengthen the local hog industry so that it can produce enough pork to meet demand while nurturing a growing industry that could provide employment and livelihood for thousands of Filipino families,” explained Abante.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the per capita consumption of pork in the Philippines is at 15.2 kilograms per capita, higher than world average of 11.1 kilograms. Pork is second only to rice as a source of food energy for Filipino working adults.
Due to the demand for pork, prior to the onset of ASF hog production had steadily increased, from 2.12 million metric tons in 2015 to 2.32 million metric tons in 2018.
According to Abante, DA recommendations that involve lowering tariffs on pork and increasing pork imports “favor pork importers at the expense of local pork producers.”
“We should consider the benefits of supporting the long-term health and viability of the local hog industry instead of the supposed short-term gains of importation––lower prices––that the DA cannot even guarantee.”
The solon pointed out that “there are estimates that we could lose as much as 12 billion pesos from lowering pork tariffs. This amount alone could be used to provide hog raisers with the means to repopulate their hog stocks. At 10,000 pesos per hog, we can provide them with the financing needed to buy 1.2 million heads.”
“We should consider the benefits of supporting the long-term health and viability of the local hog industry instead of the supposed short-term gains of importation––lower prices––that the DA cannot even guarantee.”