THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has imposed a 60‑day quantitative restriction on selected pork imports, citing “serious injury” to the domestic swine industry driven by a surge in foreign meat shipments.
Issued as Department Order No. 33, the measure follows an investigation into preliminary safeguard findings, which confirmed that rising import volumes have expanded market share while pushing down the country’s pork self‑sufficiency ratio and displacing local production during the period of review.
The restriction covers specific pork cuts including carcasses, hams, shoulders, and livers. The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (ProPork) has welcomed the intervention but noted that the 60‑day window is too brief to provide meaningful recovery for affected farmers and producers. The group emphasized that longer‑term safeguards would be necessary to stabilize prices and rebuild the sector.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. acknowledged concerns over the short duration, indicating that the restriction period may be extended depending on how the domestic market responds. The DA will monitor supply levels and industry performance throughout the initial 60‑day implementation to determine whether additional support or extended limits are required.
metrosundaily
