Hog raisers back MAV suspension
THE National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NatFed) supports the suspension of the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork imports, saying that local prices of the commodity will not increase once the MAV is removed.
NatFed Chairman Chester Warren Tan said they would support whatever the decision of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on MAV, adding that they do not see any changes whether it will be suspended or not.
“We agree with the [Agriculture] secretary because whether with MAV or without, it seems like we’re not seeing any changes,” Tan said.
Last month, the DA said it was reviewing plans to suspend the MAV on pork and corn to curb the country’s agricultural imports.
The NatFed chairman, meanwhile, said that the department might want to try suspending the MAV first to see if there would be any difference with or without it. Contrary to meat importers’ claim, Tan also said prices would not increase once the MAV was removed.
“The price won’t increase because the MAV was removed, that prices will rise and inflation everything, that’s not true,” he said.
The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (Pcafi) earlier suggested eliminating the MAV for poultry and pork imports, noting that it has become useless.
Pcafi President Danilo Fausto said that the volume of importation for chicken is more than 15 times the MAV. He added that removing MAV will result in a “level playing field among importers and importers vis a vis local producers.”
Citing government’s data, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said that as of endSeptember last year, total hog inventory declined to 9.86 million heads from 10.1 million in the same period in 2022 due to the African swine fever (ASF).
In 2021, the country’s hog inventory was logged at 9.94 million heads; in 2020, it was at 12.8 million hogs.
Most of the reduction came from small holds whose inventory dropped to 7.18 million in 2022 from a high of 9.44 million in 2020.
“ASF has immensely impacted our hog industry and caused triple effects throughout the agricultural sector. Livelihoods of countless farmers and industry workers are at stake,” said Tiu Laurel.
He added that a vaccine for hog disease will be available in the country before year-end.
“The good news is there are already vaccines that are on the way that may be accredited within the year by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) with assistance from DA,” Tiu Laurel said. “Hopefully, we can eradicate ASF by next year.”
He added that a Vietnamese and an American company are currently seeking accreditation from the FDA for their ASF vaccines. Additionally, another Vietnamese company and a Thai firm are planning to apply for approval for their vaccines.
“The hog industry remains not just a source of income but a cornerstone of food security and a vital part of our livelihood. Hogs have long been a mainstay for Filipino agriculture, providing sustenance and economic opportunities to countless households across the nation,” said Tiu Laurel.