British Chamber urges clarity on pork tariffs

Following the Department of Agriculture’s reported proposal to increase the tariffs on imported pork and frozen pork jowl, the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) echoed the statements of industry associations and urged more clarity on tariff rules to avoid inflationary pressures and shortage in supply, considering that local production remains under recovery due to the presence of the African Swine Fever (ASF). 

The Chamber previously welcomed Executive Order No. 116, s. 2026 which increased the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork imports for the year 2026 from 54,210 metric tons (MT) to 204,210 MT as part of the Philippine government’s wider efforts to ensure stable food supply and manage inflation brought about by the conflict in the Middle East, which resulted in higher oil prices, transport, and animal feed.

In an interview, BCCP Executive Vice Chairman Chris Nelson said, “On the agriculture and the importation, while there is a growth to date of pork, we are up about 4%. Beef is a much smaller volume, but it is up about 56%. I do think there are some things we need to clarify. We are looking to have a meeting with Secretary Laurel and the Department of Agriculture because they are actually talking about increasing some tariffs on imports of pork, which seems to go against, obviously, the need to increase supply, particularly when the fight against inflation is particularly needed. So, we will look forward to having those discussions.”

Despite headline inflation slowing down at 6.1% in August and food inflation also marking a slower increase at 4.6%, the threat to the country’s supply and inflation remains.

Data published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that the country’s hog inventory declined to 8.70 million heads in the first quarter of 2026, marked as the lowest domestic swine population recorded in the first quarter since 1994.

Nelson reiterated that supply remains restricted, considering the population growth since 1994, which is at nearly 70 million people compared to the current figures at nearly 120 million. Challenge in ASF remains with the recent data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showing that it remains active in 13 regions, 31 provinces, 107 cities/municipalities and 293 barangays as of 24 September 2026. 

Nelson noted that while the UK is not among the Philippines’ largest sources of pork and beef imports, continued interest from British exporters reflects the growing opportunities they see in the Philippine market, with UK pork and beef exports increasing by nearly 4% and 54% in volume, respectively, year-to-date to July 2026.

The Chamber has also maintained a long-standing partnership with the UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which has organised trade missions to the Philippines since 2021 to explore market opportunities and reinforce relations with the government and the private sector.

The AHDB is set to hold its ninth trade mission on November 19 to 20, 2026, underscoring the industry’s continued engagement, increased exports, and long-term commitment to the Philippine market.