Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered stricter monitoring of supermarkets and wet markets to ensure proper handling and labeling of frozen meat as the Department of Agriculture (DA) moves to protect consumers and level the playing field for local producers.
Tiu Laurel directed the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) to carry out nationwide inspections to ensure compliance with food safety and fair trade rules.
“Frozen meat must be properly labeled and stored. Retailers cannot pass off frozen products as fresh. Food safety and fair trade are non-negotiable,” he said.
The DA continues to work with hog producers to stabilize pork prices and support raisers struggling with depressed farmgate rates. Industry and government have agreed on a minimum farmgate price of P210 per kilo for live hogs, up from the current P150 to P180 per kilo, which producers say is below production cost.
Tiu Laurel pointed out that despite farmer losses, retail pork prices remain elevated, with liempo (pork belly) still averaging around P400 per kilo.
“Farmgate prices have dropped sharply, yet consumers haven’t felt any relief. This imbalance needs to be corrected,” he said, adding that the DA is considering reinstating a maximum suggested retail price for pork.
Hog industry groups — including the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) and Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PROPORK) — likewise reiterated their appeal to restore pork import tariffs to 40 percent from the current 25 percent under Executive Order 62, citing over-importation and mounting pressure on local raisers.
The DA is also reviewing a possible maximum suggested retail price for pork and preparing an administrative circular that would reclassify pork jowls, currently treated as offal subject to lower import duties, to a category with higher tariff rates amid strong demand from processors and food service operators.
According to the DA, the package of measures seeks to increase transparency in the meat trade, protect consumers and help return profitability to local hog farmers amid volatile market conditions.
