DA eyes tighter pork import rules after corn quota hike
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is moving to tighten pork import rules after the government raised the country’s corn import quota, as it seeks to bring down livestock production costs and protect local hog raisers from declining farm-gate prices.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the department was pursuing higher tariffs on imported pork and a temporary suspension of import clearances for selected pork cuts to further ease the pressure on the livestock industry.
Both the planned pork import controls and higher corn import quota are part of the DA’s efforts to address problems hounding the livestock industry, particularly high input costs and weak farmgate prices, Tiu Laurel said.
Corn is a major ingredient in livestock and poultry feeds, so any increase in its prices could eventually translate to higher meat prices.
“Ensuring a sufficient supply of low-priced corn is essential to supporting animal feed production, keeping production costs of meat affordable and protecting the country’s food security,” he said in a statement.
“We need to make sure our livestock and poultry industries have access to the feed ingredients they need without placing additional pressure on consumers,” he added.
On Oct. 26, President Marcos signed Executive Order No. 129 increasing the minimum access volume (MAV) for corn by 280,000 metric tons (MT), from 220,000 MT to 500,000 MT.
Projected deficit
The higher quota is intended to address a projected yellow corn deficit of 1.42 million MT from March through December this year, amid rising agricultural input costs and production constraints.
Alongside the corn quota adjustment, the DA is proposing to restore pork import tariffs to 30 percent for shipments within the MAV and 40 percent for those outside the quota.
These would replace the reduced rates of 15 percent and 25 percent, respectively, which were extended through 2028 under EO 62.
Tiu Laurel also plans to suspend the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for selected pork cuts once legally permitted, potentially from mid-November through January 2027.
