The Philippine government is considering extending a 60‑day suspension of selected pork imports, according to a statement from the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, 10 November. The Department of Agriculture (DA) is weighing the request from local hog raisers who want the restrictions to remain in place until the first quarter of 2027. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the administration must balance the protection of domestic producers with the need to maintain adequate pork supplies, control inflation, and meet international trade obligations. “We are balancing the issue because we are facing a very strong El Niño and the President does not want us to lose pork supply. We need to consider the threat of the El Niño, maintain food stock, address inflation, and also consider international trade aspects,” Castro said during a Palace briefing. The appeal comes from the Philippine Pork Council Alliance Inc. (PPCAI), the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (ProPork), and the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP). The groups welcomed Department Order No. 33, issued on 7 November, which temporarily suspends imports of specified pork products for 60 days as a provisional safeguard measure. The order covers selected fresh, chilled and frozen pork cuts and edible offal. Its implementation is tied to the issuance of an order by the Bureau of Customs or the prescribed publication period, whichever comes first. The DA imposed the measure after a preliminary investigation found that rising imports had caused serious injury to the domestic hog industry. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the industry had suffered nearly ₱28 billion in losses during the first seven months of 2026, as imported pork contributed to declining farmgate prices. The producer groups warned that continuing losses could threaten commercial and backyard hog operations. In a joint manifesto, the groups called for the restrictions to remain in force through the first quarter of 2027, citing government estimates that existing pork stocks could last 92 to 143 days. “Extend the import restriction up to first quarter of 2027. The DA reported an estimated ending stock of pork, lasting 92 to 143 days. With pork supply more than enough, and increasing hog production underway, the country has excess pork supply that can last until Q1 of 2027. Provide direct support to legitimate producers, including subsidies for transport and feed costs, as we have consistently advocated, to help sustain farm operations amid mounting losses,” the manifesto, signed by ProPork President Eric Harina, AGAP Representative Nicanor Briones and PPCAI Chairman Fritz Chua, stated. The groups also sought the restoration of higher tariffs on imported pork, proposing an increase from the current 15 percent and 25 percent rates to the previous 30 percent and 40 percent rates, respectively. They further called for pork jowls to be reclassified from edible offal to pork meat under the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature, which would raise the applicable duty from 10 percent to 40 percent. “We need the immediate restoration of the original tariff rates to give local producers a fighting chance. Protecting the local hog industry is not only about safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods, but also about preserving domestic production capacity, supporting the communities, and strengthening the country’s food security,” the groups said. Secretary Tiu Laurel has expressed openness to extending the provisional import restriction if farmgate prices fail to recover, while emphasizing that consumer demand and the requirements of meat processors must also be considered. Castro added that the government is monitoring pork prices amid reports of high retail costs despite available supplies.
Article source: The Daily Tribune | Image credit: The Daily Tribune