MANILA — The Philippine hog industry has proposed a floor price of P210 per kilogram for live hogs, seeking relief from depressed farmgate prices, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Philippine Carabao Center’s National Sex-Sorting Laboratory in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Mr. Laurel said the Department of Agriculture (DA) supports the proposal as a means of assisting pork producers.

Current farmgate prices for pork vary by location, ranging from P120 to P160 per kilogram, according to the Agriculture chief — well short of the P210 level the industry is seeking. A floor price would establish a minimum trading level for live hogs, a mechanism intended to shield raisers from persistently low market rates and to stabilize returns for producers who have weathered prolonged price weakness.

Mr. Laurel acknowledged, however, that the DA cannot enforce the proposed floor price, as no existing legislation authorizes such measures. In practice, that means any binding floor would require fresh legislative action, leaving the DA’s support — for now — a matter of advocacy rather than mandate.

“As of the moment, whatever it is, the DA will support what the industry suggests, and we will push,” Mr. Laurel told reporters.

The Philippine hog sector has faced prolonged pressure since African swine fever outbreaks first detected in 2019 sharply reduced the country’s swine herd. In response, the government has repeatedly trimmed tariffs on imported pork since 2021 to bolster domestic supply and temper retail prices — the same balancing act now back in focus as officials weigh restoring duties.

Tariff review

Mr. Laurel said he will meet with economic managers to discuss the possibility of restoring tariffs on imported pork, with the DA backing the imposition of special safeguard duties on such shipments. The outcome of those talks will indicate whether the government pivots from its supply-side tariff approach toward stronger support for domestic producers.

Holiday outlook

He added that he hopes meat price increases during the holiday season will be muted, at roughly 1% to 3% — a range that, if it holds, would keep the seasonal climb modest for consumers.

— Marron Joshua F. Mendoza

Source: BusinessWorld Online