Hog production growth slowed in ’12

The volume of pork imports contracted by 15.8 percent to 119,000 metric tons (MT) in 2012, outpacing the 6.8-percent decline reported in 2011, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.

However, the growth in the import value of pork meat rose by 30 percent to $112 million. The year before, pork imports grew 4.9 percent to $85.8 million.

BAS data showed that freight on board value was about $942 per MT in 2012 and $609 per MT in 2011.

Also in 2012, the growth in volume of domestic hog production slowed down by 1.7 percent to 1.97 million MT liveweight.

The previous year, production growth was healthier at 2.2 percent, with 1.94 million MT liveweight.

Similarly, the farmgate price of live hogs in 2012 averaged at P88.30 per kilogram, easing by 0.9 percent from the P89.08 per kilo registered in 2011.

The retail price of pork in 2012 decreased by one percent to P169.64 per kilo from the previous year’s P171.44.

According to the Agricultural Outlook 2013-2022 report, compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global agricultural production is projected to grow more slowly by an average of 1.5 percent a year compared to the 2.1 percent average of the previous 10-year period.

The report covers crops and livestock, including pigmeat or pork.

“This slower growth is expected to be exhibited by all crop sectors and livestock production,” the report said.

“These trends reflect rising costs, growing resource constraints, and increasing environmental pressures, which are anticipated to inhibit supply response in virtually all regions,” it added.

On the other hand, higher production growth is expected from emerging economies, but only for those “which have invested in their agricultural sectors and where existing technologies offer good potential for closing the yield gap with the advanced economies.

As for consumption, this is expected to increase in developing countries on account of growing populations, higher incomes, urbanization and changing diets.

In the Philippines, the government has committed to work on programs that will ensure an adequate supply of crops and livestock amid efforts to attain self-sufficiency in food production.