Frozen pork inventory doubled since last year

The inventory of frozen pork in the Philippines declined in the past week but more than doubled in the same period from a year ago, data from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) showed.

The NMIS, in a report, said the inventory of frozen pork in accredited cold storages reached 76,953.26 metric tons as of Nov. 22.

The volume of frozen pork during the period dropped by 2.56 percent from 78,976.66 MT recorded as of Nov. 15.

But the figure surged by 114.9 percent from 35,808.72 MT in the comparative period last year.

Bulk, or 75,240.95 MT, of the total frozen pork inventory was imported while the remaining 1,712.31 MT were produced locally.

The National Capital Region (NCR) accounted for the majority of the imported frozen pork at 28,124.08 MT.

Central Luzon and Calabarzon cornered 21,009.72 MT and 19,196.53 MT of the total inventory, respectively.

To recall, President Duterte issued Executive Order No. 133, which raised the minimum access volume or in-quota for pork to 254,210 MT from 54,210 MT.

The EO was issued in May this year “to immediately address the current supply gap” and arrest rising prices of pork products. INQ