Pork prices stable amid expected high demand – group

MANILA, Philippines — The retail prices of pork should not increase despite the expected demand for more meat products this upcoming Christmas season, according to farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag).

In an interview with The STAR, Sinag noted that the farmgate price of pork in Luzon declined.

“The farmgate price now is between P160 and P170 in Luzon, unlike last time it increased to P200 per kilo, it is lower this year,” Sinag chairman Rosendo So said yesterday.

He added that the retail price of pork in the market should only range from P290 to P320 per kilo.

Based on the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s monitoring of Metro Manila markets, the retail price of ham ranged between P260 and P330 per kilo while pork liempo ranged between P290 and P400 per kilo.

In the world market, the price of imported pork also decreased, So noted.

“The United States also reduced the price of pork in their world market,” he said.

So gave assurance that hog raisers will be able to supply the demand this holiday season.

As for the reported outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in Ilocos Sur and Romblon, So said it will not affect the country’s pork supply.

“Every now and then, incidents of outbreak happen as ASF is not yet fully controlled. The issue of ASF vaccine is also a problem as it is a live vaccine. The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) should monitor the protocol. The vaccination should only be done in the testing area once the vaccine is released commercially as it cannot be done by anyone, otherwise it will create a bigger problem (in the hog industry),” he added.

BAI assistant director Arlene Vytiaco previously announced that the ASF vaccine field trial was a 100 percent success and they hoped to import 600,000 doses this year.

Poultry, pork imports

The DA has lifted the temporary bans on poultry imports from Turkiye and Chile and banned pork products from Sweden due to the ASF outbreak.

Poultry imports from Turkiye and Chile were banned in February and April, respectively, due to the reported outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1.

The World Organization for Animal Health reported that the two countries are now HPAI-free.

Pork products from Sweden, on the other hand, have been banned due to a reported ASF outbreak in the town of Fagersta that occurred on Aug. 27 and confirmed by their national veterinary institute on Sept. 6.

Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban ordered the immediate suspension of the processing and evaluation of the application and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances of pork products from Sweden.

The DA’s separate memorandum orders on Turkiye and Chile’s poultry products and Sweden’s pork were signed on Oct. 3. — Catherine Talavera