Hog raisers threaten to stop meat supply to Metro Manila

LIPA CITY, Batangas — Hog and poultry raisers, feedmill owners, egg suppliers, bulk ingredients suppliers and aqua business operators have joined hands and threatened not to deliver pork to Metro Manila next month.

This is in protest of the government’s failure to curb illegal meat importation, according to the newly formed coalition Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (ASAP).

Nicanor Briones, president of ASAP and the Limcoma Multipurpose Cooperative, the largest agricultural cooperative in the Philippines, will spearhead the protest.

Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry showed that 35.1 million kilograms of pork were imported from January to September last year, which surpassed the 32.6 million kilograms imported throughout 2001.

"With the influx of imported meat (beef, pork and chicken), the farm gate prices of locally produced products have greatly affected our backyard farmers," Briones explained.

The Limcoma cooperative said that farm gate prices started to decrease as early as April last year, which is irregular since prices normally drop in June or July.

From P74 or P75 per kilo in April, it has even further dropped to P55 kilo today or an estimated loss of P1,200 per head of hog to farmers.

"With our 5,500 members who can produce at least 35,000 to 45,000 heads per month, the loss would be approximately P42 to P45 million," Briones said.

For the whole industry, which sells around 1.5 million hogs per month, Briones estimates the loss to be around P1.8 billion, computed at a loss of P1,200 per head.

He also pointed out that the farm gate price of pork this year declined by a whooping P14 to P17. The usual annual reduction of farm gate prices ranges only from P5 to P10 per kilo.

The National Federation of Hog Raisers (NFHR) has expressed fears that the continued fall of farm gate prices of pork will drain the P84 billion swine industry, which directly employs 45,000 people and 1.2 million other allied workers.

"If the excessive legal and illegal meat importation continues, we have no choice but to act drastically now," Briones warned.

He disclosed that several letters were already sent to former Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor, newly installed Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Antonio Bernardo, Senators Edgardo Angara and Ramon Magsaysay Jr., who chairs the committee on agriculture, and to President Arroyo herself.

"But the letters landed on deaf ears," he lamented.

Briones also complained about the inefficiency of Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Livestock and Fisheries Cesar Drilon, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) director Joey Molina and Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI) director Umpar Adiong.

"They should be held accountable for the massive importation and smuggling of farm produce that is killing the local agricultural industry," he suggested, adding that if Mrs. Arroyo can save the vegetable industry, why not the swine industry, which is second to rice as the largest industry in the Philippines.

Farmers in Benguet and Mt. Province have also been protesting the entry of imported and smuggled vegetables since July. The President has announced that it will review the proposal to exempt Benguet vegetables from tariff liberalization.

Planned mass protest actions

In a press statement ASAP said that Southern and Northern Tagalog hog raisers including its allied industries will lead a mass protest rally in front of Malacañang Palace on Feb. 14.

"We have to join hands and make a drastic move so the government can hear us," Briones stressed.

He disclosed that hog raisers from Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, and Quezon, who deliver approximately 700 metric tons of pork in Metro Manila daily have pledged their support to ASAP.

"If we can paralyze the delivery of pork in Metro Manila for at least a week, maybe the President and her Cabinet secretaries will take some of their busy time to talk to us," he said.

One of the highlights of the rally, he said, will be the parade of pigs along Mendiola street and the throwing of fresh eggs on the road as a sign of protest.

"We would duplicate what the Europeans did when their agricultural produce dropped its market price," he explained.

The alliance also plans to burn effigies of DA undersecretary Drilon, BAI director Molina, NMIC director Nuestro and BOC Commissioner Bernardo.

ASAP said that President Arroyo should review the performance of the people in her Cabinet, which it believes is highly in question in light of the current problems in the country’s swine industry.