Swine board bucks government plan to import pork through FTI

MANILA, Philippines - The Swine Board of the Philippines has expressed opposition to the government’s plan to import 5,000 metric tons of pork through the Food Terminal, Inc. (FTI).

“We… call on government not to proceed with the importation. We also call all presidential candidates to bare their plans to arrest a potentially volatile situation. They should bear in mind that they will inherit this problem when they take over the reins of government,” the Swine Board said in a statement.

The Swine Board is composed of producers and suppliers which provide 60 percent of the pork supply in the country. They include various stakeholders in the value chain, backyard and commercial hog farmers, slaughterhouse operators, logistics providers, meat fabricators, traders, importers, and distributors.

The Swine Board stated: “We are outraged by the recent announcement to allow FTI to import 5,000 MT of pork. It appears that the Department of Agriculture unilaterally determined the necessity and immediacy of the importation without any prior consultation.”

They pointed out that in a meeting of the Task Force Price and Volume Watch conducted by the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry last Friday, “we had no inkling at all of this matter. Worse, the mechanism used by the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) system was ignored. The private sector was bypassed and the government-controlled corporation-FTI encroached into a commercial activity using its state power to avail of the duty-free importation. This effectively gives government undue advantage and renders domestic trade unfair.”

The Swine Board is puzzled by the decision to import since the pork MAV was released in February, barely two months ago. Only 30 percent of the import allocation has been utilized by the private sector to date. There are still 70 percent available and sufficient elbow room remains for the private sector to address whatever supply gaps there are.”

The Swine Board pointed out that the lean season is about to start , wherein hog prices traditionally start bottoming out.

“The untimely and unexpected importation of pork will most certainly disturb and distort the market. This intervention is unwise and uncalled for,” the Swine Board said.