Da-led panel to study MAV hike for pork imports formed
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has created an interagency committee to track pork shortage in the country and determine the additional minimum access volume (MAV) allocation for pork imports.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Special Order 76 creating the committee that is expected to submit to him a recommendation no later than February 1.
The committee will determine the increase of the pork MAV, which enters at a lower tariff of 30 percent, and the schedule for its importation and arrival.
“In the exigency of the service and to provide data-driven assessment to establish the existence of shortage and determine the volume of additional MAV allocation through the MAV Plus Mechanism and at the same time ascertain the period when the MAV Plus may be imported, an interagency committee is hereby created,” Dar said in the document.
The committee will be chaired by Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel A. Padre, who is also the director of the DA’S Policy Research Service.
The members of the committee are: National Meat Inspection
Service Executive Director Reildrin Morales, Bureau of Animal Industry Director Ronnie Domingo, MAV Executive Director Jane C. Bacayo and Jocelyn Salvador of the NMIS.
The Businessmirror first broke the story last week that the DA is looking at the possibility of increasing the MAV for pork to boost domestic supply and stabilize retail prices. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/01/18/asfprompts-phl-to-mull-over-hikein-mav-allocation-for-pork/).
Dar initially said they are looking at tripling the current MAV of 54,000 metric tons (MT) to 162,000 MT. But Dar also confirmed to the Businessmirror that reducing pork tariffs outright is also now on their table.
The agriculture chief said they want to pull down pork prices to below P300 per kilogram. (Related story: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2021/01/21/governmenttargets-below-p300-pork-price/).
The retail prices of pork in the market have breached the P400-perkg level due to thin domestic supply because of the disruptions caused by the ASF to local hog production.
Price freeze and ceiling
IN a related development, the DA, Department of Trade and Industry and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and several Metropolitan Manila mayors have agreed to impose “stricter measures to ease the rising prices of basic food commodities, particularly pork and vegetables.”
At a recent virtual meeting with DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos, and several Metro Manila mayors, Dar said, they agreed on “several strategies to bring down the prices of basic food items sold in Metro Manila public markets.”
First on the table is to “strengthen the local price coordinating councils (LPCCS) for them to clamp down on wholesalers, traders, and retailers, who unreasonably jack up prices and take advantage of the current tight supply situation in pork and vegetables,” Dar added.
Dar said they will also require wholesalers, traders and retailers “to register” so the government could know “who they are and thereafter monitor them regularly.”
The three agencies also agreed to recommend to President Duterte the imposition of a “price freeze” on selected food items like pork, chicken, fish and vegetables.
“In particular, the DA is recommending a price ceiling of P270/kg for kasim pigue, P300/kg for liempo, and P160/kg for dressed chicken,” the DA said in a statement.
The DA added that Metro Manila mayors would also identify areas where farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAS) can deliver and sell their products directly through the DA Kadiwa marketing program.
First on the table is to strengthen the local price coordinating councils (LPCCS) for them to clamp down on wholesalers, traders and retailers, who unreasonably jack up prices and take advantage of the current tight supply situation in pork and vegetables.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar