‘Pork shortage looms due to ASF, coronavirus’

MANILA, Philippines — Consumers should brace for a possible shortfall in pork as African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread and meat imports decline amid global trade disruption due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

Imports of meat products, particularly pork, have slowed down and the trend is expected to persist due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, according to the Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA).

“Imports have declined because of high prices. With COVID, it’s getting worse because there is trade disruption. In the next three months, arrivals will slow down,” MITA president Jess Cham told The STAR.

“It will definitely go down not necessarily because of ASF but because of the disruption in the trade flow,” Cham said.

Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry showed that pork imports reached 17.8 million kilograms as of January. The volume is 41 percent lower than the 30.2 million kilos of pork imports during the same period last year.

“Hog raisers are saying that in three to six months, we will feel a shortage from local production. I think that’s a realistic timeline because we heard the same thing last year when ASF started hitting us,” Cham said.

“The law of supply and demand will catch up. Prices will go up and those who are willing to pay for the product will be able to get it. Increase in prices will prompt other people to shift to other protein sources,” he added.

Cham also cited a decrease in imports from Europe and the United States, the country’s major sources of imported meat.

The US Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service had earlier said the Philippines is seen to import 300 million kilos of pork this year, 13 percent higher than last year’s 265 million kilos.

It said domestic production would decline by 10 percent to 1.4 billion kilos.

Consumption was also down by eight percent at 1.7 billion kilos as consumers shift to chicken meat.

Government data showed 237,406 pigs, representing 1.85 percent of the country’s 12.8 million hogs, have been culled due to ASF.

Pigs in 625 barangays in 160 towns and cities nationwide were hit by the swine disease.