Imports boost frozen pork supply in local market
MANILA, Philippines – Local inventory of frozen pork rose for the second straight week as the entry of more imports made up for the slack in local hog raisers’ production, according to the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).
The NMIS reported that frozen pork supply in accredited cold storages had inched up by 2 percent to 101,396 metric tons (MT) as of Oct. 17 from 99,238 MT recorded a week ago. This volume, mostly imported pork, also represented an increase of 21.2 percent from 83,646 MT last year.
Central Luzon stored 32,264 MT of imported pork. Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas, Rizal and Quezon Calabarzon) and National Capital Region followed with 31,431 MT and 21,538 MT, respectively.
Calabarzon kept majority of locally-produced pork, equivalent to 1,018 MT. Central Visayas came next with 712 MT.Meanwhile, the stockpile of dressed chicken dropped by 2.3 percent to 51,148 MT from 52,354 MT for the comparative period. This marked the second consecutive week of decline.
The inventory of dressed chicken, mostly imported, was also lower than 54,702 MT a year prior.
Calabarzon had 13,457 MT of imported dressed chicken while Central Luzon had 6,796 MT.
In the case of local chicken, Central Luzon kept 4,401.04 MT and Ilocos Region accounted for 3,974 MT of the total.
There have been proposals to extend the imposition of reduced tariffs on imported pork and chicken.
Executive Order No. 171, signed in May, retained the tariff rates for pork imports at 15 percent for in-quota and 25 percent for out-quota volume until yearend.
In January next year, tariff rates are scheduled to rise to 30 percent for in-quota and 40 percent for out-quota volume.
A petition was also filed to keep the 5-percent tariff rate on imported mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken and turkey.
MDM, often used as a filling or extender, is a key ingredient in processed meat products.
EO No. 123, also signed by Duterte, extended the validity of reduced tariff rates on MDM of chicken and turkey until end-December. The rates will return to 40 percent beginning Jan. 1, 2023.
