270,000 hogs delivered to Metro Manila during price cap implementation

MANILA, Philippines — Over 270,000 hogs were delivered to markets in Metro Manila in two months, in line with the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s effort to augment supply and stabilize pork prices in the market.

Latest data from the DA showed a total of 274,145 hogs and 1,821,244 kilos of carcasses delivered to the National Capital Region (NCR) by local hog raisers from Feb. 8 to April 8.

Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) supplied the biggest number of live hogs, accounting for 44.10 percent of total deliveries.

This was followed by Western Visayas with 19.13 percent; Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), 11.89 percent; Bicol, 7.95 percent; and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos), 6.85 percent.

Hog shipments were also made from other regions such as Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga peninsula, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Ilocos and Cagayan Valley.

Central Luzon shipped the largest volume of carcasses, accounting for 98.06 percent.

The DA was looking to deliver at least 15,000 hogs per week to Metro Manila for two months to stabilize pork prices.

It was to complement a 60-day price cap on pork and chicken products in Metro Manila markets under Executive Order 124 which ended last April 8.

The EO was implemented with guidelines issued by Agriculture Secretary William Dar whereas the price ceiling was set at P270 per kilo for kasim or pork shoulder, P300 for liempo or pork belly and P160 per kilo for chicken.

While the price ceiling has already been lifted, Dar said the DA will continue to encourage hog raisers to supply and deliver surplus hogs from ASF-free provinces in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Earlier, the DA said a transport subsidy shall be based on the source of hogs: P21 per kilo if from Mindanao; P15 per kilo if from the Visayas and Regions I, II, IV-B and V; and P10 per kilo if from Regions III and IV-A.

No SRP for local pork

Yesterday, Dar emphasized that no suggested retail price (SRP) will be implemented for domestic pork products due to the increased cost of production in the local industry.

Addressing the Laging Handa public briefing, he said the DA is implementing various measures to help stabilize the prices of pork in the market such as the SRP for imported pork products – P270 a kilo for pork shoulder or kasim and P350 for pork belly or liempo.

But these SRPs, which started yesterday, do not cover domestic pork products.

Dar said that based on studies by the DA, the cost structure of producing pork has adjusted, due to the higher prices of agricultural inputs such as feeds.

“What came out in the study of the DA is that the price of locally produced meat is at P320 per kilo of kasim and P350 per kilo of liempo,” Dar said in Filipino.

DA’s market monitors reported yesterday the prevailing price of kasim at P360 a kilo and of liempo at P380 a kilo in Metro Manila markets.

National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. president Chester Warren Tan said earlier that the move of the DA to implement an SRP on imported pork products would hurt the local industry as it won’t be able to compete with the low prices of imported meat.