Agri dept restricts pork imports amid huge losses from local producers

MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has imposed a 60-day restriction on pork imports after a preliminary investigation revealed that surging foreign shipments severely injured the domestic hog industry.

The DA said that large shipments of imported pork have resulted in an estimated P27.9 billion in losses during the first seven months of 2026.

The provisional measure covers specified fresh and frozen pork cuts, carcasses, and edible offal, pending a formal Tariff Commission investigation.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed the department order authorizing the provisional safeguard measure under Republic Act 8800, or the Safeguard Measures Act. 

The move follows a 42-percent leap in pork imports from 589,675 metric tons in 2023 to 836,240 MT in 2025, lifting imports’ share of domestic production to 65 percent in the first half of 2026.

“The preliminary findings show that the surge in pork imports is putting severe pressure on our local producers. We cannot allow an import surge to undermine an industry that is still struggling to recover from years of ASF-related losses,” Tiu Laurel said.

The surge has deepened domestic dependence on foreign meat, dragging self-sufficiency down from 74.3 percent in 2021 to just 54 percent between January and August 2026, the DA said. 

According to the agency, frozen pork inventories hit 121,000 MT in July—with imported products comprising 94 percent of total stocks—triggering a drop in average farmgate prices from P198.30 per kilogram in 2025 to P175.75 in mid-2026. Some producers reported severe plunges down to P120 per kg.

The DA warns that full-year producer losses could double to P55.8 billion if depressed prices persist, while industry estimates caution that damage could reach P100 billion. The sector has faced continuous disruption from African Swine Fever (ASF) since 2019.

“Rebuilding the hog industry requires more than short-term price interventions. We are working through the necessary legal, regulatory, and industry reforms to bring the national hog population back to its pre-ASF level of about 13 million heads by the end of 2028,” Tiu Laurel said.

High pork prices had been noted as partly responsible for high inflation rates in past years, as food makes up a huge part of the consumer price index. The industry had been hit hard by African swine fever in the past, which had decimated hog herds.