Hog production up 2.36% in H1

MANILA, Philippines - Hog production grew 2.36 percent in the first semester of the year on lower mortality, data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) showed.

Total hog production in the first half of 2013 was placed at 956, 250 metric tons (MT) live weight, up from the production level of 934, 190 (MT) live weight in the same period the previous year.

The domestic swine supply for the period grew 0.62 percent to 24.55 million heads from 24.40 million heads in the same period last year.

Of the total hogs disposed of in the first half of the year, 11.95 million heads were slaughtered, up 2.16 percent year-on-year,  while 720,000 were recorded as deaths or losses, down by 3.54 percent year-on-year.

Hog raisers also enjoyed higher farmgate price for live hogs in the first half of 2013 which was placed at P96.09 per kilogram, 10.37 percent higher than the average farmgate price of P87.06 per kilogram in the same period last year.

The average wholesale price per kilogram of live hogs in Metro Manila was placed at P112.33, up 16.19 percent from the average wholesale proce of P98.68 per kilogram in the same period last year.

The average retail price of pork in Metro Manila went up to P175.65 per kilogram in the first semester, 4.49 percent higher than P168.10 per kilogram year-on-year.

Higher prices were seen in May and June of 2013, while the lowest price was noted during the month of January at P171.77 per kilogram.

In the first semester of the year, the top contributors to the country’s swine inventory were Central Luzon, Calabarzon, western Visayas, central Visayas, northern Mindanao and the Bicol Region with a combined share of 62.74 percent.