No price hike for pork amid culling – DA

MANILA, Philippines — There should be no price increase in pork products even as the government has started culling hogs to contain the possible entry of the dreaded African swine fever.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura said there has been no movement in prices after the Department of Agriculture directed the culling of hogs in an unidentified area in Luzon.

“No changes because we have surplus in pork. And there should be no reason for an increase in the next days,” Sinag executive director Jayson Cainglet said.

“We need to closely monitor the traders and importers and viajeros on the retail side,” he said.

Farm gate price in Luzon is currently at P122 to P125 per kilogram. Retail prices range from P190 to P220 for pork kasim and P220 to P250 per kilo for pork liempo.

The Philippines has surplus in supply of pork amid higher production and the continued importation which should not result in higher prices.

Data from Sinag showed that total pork supply is 2.7 billion kilos.

However, local demand is only at 1.53 billion kilos which would translate to a surplus of about 1.1 billion kilos of pork in the country.

During the second quarter of the year, hog production continued its upward momentum after recording a four percent growth.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said this was due to the sustained demand for pork, especially, during the election period in Cordilleras, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and ARMM.

There were also farm expansion and availability of more stocks for slaughter in Ilocos, Davao and Soccsksargen.