DA weighs extending pork import restrictions amid calls from hog raisers
Malacañang said Tuesday, 10 November, that the Department of Agriculture (DA) is considering extending its 60-day suspension of selected pork imports as local hog raisers push for the restrictions to remain in place until the first quarter of 2027.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the government must balance the protection of domestic producers against the need to maintain adequate pork supplies, contain inflation and meet international trade obligations.
“Sa ngayon, binabalanse talaga nila ang usapin na iyan dahil tayo sa ngayon ay kinakaharap natin ang very strong El Niño at ayaw ng Pangulo na mawalan tayo ng supply ng pork. So, kailangan balansehin, tingnan. Unang-una, kailangan tingnan ang banta ng very strong El Niño, kailangan din na mayroon tayong stock na pagkain, kailangan ding tugunan ang issue about inflation at mayroon din po aspeto patungkol sa international trade na dapat na isaalang-alang,” Castro said during a Palace briefing.
Her remarks followed a joint appeal by the Philippine Pork Council Alliance Inc. (PPCAI), the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (ProPork) and the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) to extend the restrictions.
The groups welcomed Department Order No. 33, issued on 7 November, which provides for a 60-day temporary suspension of imports of specified pork products as a provisional safeguard measure.
The order covers selected fresh, chilled and frozen pork cuts and edible offal. Its implementation is tied to the issuance of an order by the Bureau of Customs or the prescribed publication period, whichever comes first.
The DA imposed the measure after a preliminary investigation found that rising imports had caused serious injury to the domestic hog industry.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier said the industry had suffered nearly ₱28 billion in losses during the first seven months of 2026, as imported pork contributed to declining farmgate prices.
The producer groups warned that continuing losses could threaten commercial and backyard hog operations. They also argued that the interval between the announcement of restrictions and their implementation could allow importers to accelerate permit applications.
In their joint manifesto, the groups called for the restrictions to remain in force through the first quarter of 2027, citing government estimates that existing pork stocks could last 92 to 143 days.
“Extend the import restriction up to first quarter of 2027. The DA reported an estimated ending stock of pork, lasting 92 to 143 days. With pork supply more than enough, and increasing hog production underway, the country has excess pork supply that can last until Q1 of 2027. Provide direct support to legitimate producers, including subsidies for transport and feed costs, as we have consistently advocated, to help sustain farm operations amid mounting losses,” the joint manifesto, signed by ProPork President Eric Harina, AGAP Rep. Nicanor Briones and PPCAI Chairman Fritz Chua, stated.
The groups also sought the restoration of higher tariffs on imported pork, proposing an increase from the current 15-percent and 25-percent rates to the previous 30-percent and 40-percent rates, respectively.
They further called for pork jowls to be reclassified from edible offal to pork meat under the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature, which they said would raise the applicable duty from 10 percent to 40 percent.
“We need the immediate restoration of the original tariff rates to give local producers a fighting chance. Protecting the local hog industry is not only about safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods, but also about preserving domestic production capacity, supporting the communities, and strengthening the country’s food security,” the groups said.
Tiu Laurel has expressed openness to extending the provisional import restriction if farmgate prices fail to recover, while emphasizing that consumer demand and the requirements of meat processors must also be considered.
Castro said the government was also monitoring pork prices amid reports of high retail costs despite available supplies.