According to Executive Order 299 which will take effect on May 1, the most pressing reason to revert to the original rates of import duty for swine meat is to stabilize the prices of poultry and livestock products, while balancing the impact of such move to both consumers and producers at the same time.

The local livestock and poultry industries had requested for government assistance to bring down the costs of their inputs, as they continue to reel from the effects of cheap imported livestock and poultry products in the local market. The E.O. was signed by President Arroyo last March 26.

President Arroyo said the move to re-impose the original rates of duty on certain articles under Section 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978, is the policy of the government to provide assistance to sectors facing economic difficulties. The articles specifically mentioned livestock and poultry products.

The government had earlier gradually lowered the rates of import duty on a number of agricultural products from 30 percent for in-quota, and 40 percent for out-quota for livestock and poultry products. This is in line with its commitment to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and World Trade Organization (WTO) of a zero-percent duty on all imports by 2015.

Source: eFeedLink - 22nd April 2004