DA: Food...

prices of goods in the country.

This is mainly due to the continued supply deficiency in pork, contributing 20.9 percent, according to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

The DA is hoping that the government’s move to allow pork importation at lower tariff will help ease inflation. President Duterte has already issued Executive Order 128 temporarily cutting the inquota and out-quota import tariff rate for pork imports.

Likewise, Dar said the DA will continuously provide assistance to hog raisers and pork sellers, who are already badly affected by the prevalence of deadly swine disease African Swine Fever (ASF).

To ensure stability of pork prices, the DA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) agreed to implement effective April 9 a suggested retail price (SRP) on imported pork at ₱270 per kilogram (kg) for kasim and ₱350/kg for liempo.

The said SRP replaces the ceiling price on pork and chicken, as per EO 124, which expired on April 8. The decision was based on consultations with industry stakeholders.

Dar and DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said there is no SRP for local pork and chicken, allowing free market forces to prevail.

They likewise reminded supermarkets, groceries, and market retailers to comply with existing guidelines on hygienic handling of imported pork, as prescribed by DA Administrative Order No. 6, Series of 2021.

The DA and DTI, in partnership with Metro Manila LGUs and Metro Manila Development Authority, will create a “Compliance Monitoring Team” to ensure retailers and sellers abide by the SRP on imported pork, and that it must be properly labeled as imported.

To maintain hygienic handling of imported pork, the DA through the National Meat Inspection Service will require importers to dispose their kasim and liempo into

“saleable” packages of 1 kg and 500 grams.

Aside from supermarkets and groceries, imported pork will be sold in wet markets in Metro Manila, particularly through retailers with freezers and chillers.

Those without said equipment,

the DA through the Metro Manila LGUs and market vendors’ associations will grant meat retailers chest freezers, with a capacity of 150 kilos each, worth ₱18,000. For this initiative, the DA is allotting ₱45 million for 2,500 freezers.

Further, the DA will continue

to encourage raisers to supply the “NCR plus bubble” with surplus hogs from ASF-free areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The DA also offers a ₱21/kg transport subsidy for local hog raisers who will be able to ship their produce to NCR and nearby areas.