DA imposes 60-day pork importation ban

MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Monday the imposition of 60-day importation ban or restrictions on pork import.  

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. said in a press conference that he signed the order last Saturday, authorizing a provisional safeguard measure under R.A 8800 or the Safeguard Measure Act.

Tiu-Laurel said the order will take effect 15-days after its publication or on November 24.

”Layunin nitong bigyang ginhawa ang ating mga magbabababoy na matagal nang pasan ang bigat at pagkalugi at pagbagsak ng presyo ng kanilang alagang baboy. Sa ilalim ng provisional safeguard measure, lilimitahan ng DA sa loob ng 60-days ang pagpasok ng imported na karneng baboy upang makahinga at makabawi ang ating lokal na industriya,” Tiu-Laurel said.

[This aims to provide relief to our hog raisers, who have long borne the burden of financial losses and the decline in the prices of their livestock. Under a provisional safeguard measure, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will limit the entry of imported pork for 60 days, allowing our local industry some breathing room to recover.]

Several stakeholders were also present during the press conference, including SINAG, AGAP Partylist, Philippin Pork Council and Pro-Pork. They welcomed the importation ban but said 60 days are too short.

“Yung 60-days sa aming computation medyo kulang… Pagdating ng January, may papasok tayong local production na baka hindi naisama sa computation. Ibig sabihin, magiging excess din yung local production, at yung ine-expect natin na dapat eh gaganda ang presyo at kikita eh baka hindi rin mangyari,” Agap Partylist Rep. Nicanor Briones said.

[Based on our calculations, the 60-day period is somewhat insufficient. Come January, there will be an influx of local production that may not have been factored into the computation. This means that this local production will end up as a surplus, and our expectations that prices would improve and profits would be made might not materialize.]

“Ang gusto pa rin natin is itaas yung tariff. Bakit? Kasi kung makita natin yung landed cost, nasa P90 to P150 lang yung 85% na pumapasok. ‘Yung 15% umaabot ng 2 dollars or P160 to P200 landed cost. Kung ganon mangyayari, mamamatay talaga ang local industry,” according to SINAG Chairman Rosendo So.

[What we want is to increase the tariff. Why? Because if we look at the landed cost, 85% of the imports have a landed cost of only P90 to P150. The remaining 15% reach a landed cost of 2 dollars, or P160 to P200. If this continues, the local industry will surely perish.]

When asked of this will reflect to cheaper prices of pork products, Tiu-Laurel replied that since the holiday season is approaching, price increase is inevitable. But he assured the public that the increase is just minimal and within the reasonable price range.

The agriculture chief added that the DA had already sent a letter to the Tariff Commission to echo the sentiments of hog raisers and its stakeholders to bring back the original importation tariff.

National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc (NATFED) chairman Chester Tan has asked the Tariff Commission to restore to the original 30% to 40% tariff on imported pork.

Despite this importation ban the DA assured the public that there is enough supply of pork in the country for the demand this holiday season.