Watch on Western Visayas Pork Intensified

THE PHILIPPINES - The Department of Agriculture (DA) is keeping a close watch on the pork supply in Western Visayas in anticipation of a possible shortage in the coming Christmas holidays.
calendar icon 9 October 2008
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Regional Executive Director Larry Nacionales said a shortage may take place in Metro Manila and other market areas within the region.

Mr Nacionales said that, from past recoreds, it's been observed that there is higher demand for pork during the Christmas season, and the DA 6 is concerned that there might be a shortage of pork supplies by then, as hog producers were affected by the typhoon - Frank.

He said that the DA has embarked on a piglet restocking program in Western Visayas to produce enough pork supply for the holidays and the first quarter of 2009.

Mr Nacionales also said a shortage in chicken supply is another possibility because producers in the region cannot cope with the because of the increasing number of restaurants that specialise in chicken recipes.

Meanwhile, the DA also reported that hog industry stakeholders have made an agreement with agriculture officials to bring down the cost of prime pork cuts ahead of the Christmas season.

They have agreed on a “reference price” of P140 to P150 per kilo of choice cuts like pigue, kasim and liempo.

The reference price was decided in a meeting with Secretary Arthur Yap and other agricultural officials of 30 stakeholders early this week, reports the Daily Star.

It was noted that while farmgate price had gone down to P82.25 per kilo, the retail cost still averages P140 a kilo for all cuts, with the price of liempo and other prime cuts reaching P145 to P170 in Metro Manila.

Mr Yap said that bringing down the retail cost of pork items will benefit not only consumers, but producers and traders as well because lower market prices will boost consumer demand.

The meeting was attended by industry leaders, including Albert Lim, president of the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc.; Rene Eleria, NFHFI chairman; Soledad Agbayani, president of the Philippine Association of Hog Raisers Inc.; Dan Gomez, chairman of the Meat Handler and Dealer Association of the Philippines; and Jess Cham, president of the Meat Importers and Trader Association.

Earlier, Mr Lim said that the low farmgate prices of pork amid, the increasing cost of production and decreasing consumer demand, has raised concern among hog farmers.

He also said the current situation is unprecedented and is significantly affecting the country’s hog industry.

Lower consumer demand and the increase in pork importation by meat traders are hurting the industry, and hog farmers are forced to cope with higher production costs, Mr Lim added.

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