Prices of pork, pork-based products tipped to rise

MANILA, Philippines — Expect prices of pork and pork-based products in the market to rise in the coming days as the government implements stricter measures to prevent the entry of African swine fever into the country.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered the recall of all pork-based products manufactured in countries affected by the swine fever from August 2018, following renewed calls from Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and local hog raisers.

Included in the recall order are canned products like luncheon meat and processed pork, as well as canned pet food made from pork.

The FDA has also ordered a ban on the importation of pork from Vietnam, Zambia, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Mongolia, Moldova and Belgium.

Tighter policies

The Department of Agriculture has issued a similar advisory covering pork imports from China, Hong Kong, Hungary, Belgium, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The tighter policies are expected to put pressure on the local pork supply despite assurances from the president of the National Federation of Hog Producers Inc., Chester Warren Tan, that the country had enough stock to fill demand for the next five months.

Piñol told reporters that while the increase in the cost of pork and pork-based products may be a burden to consumers and trim the profit margin of importers, traders and retailers, the policies were necessary to protect the country’s P200-billion livestock industry from the threat of swine fever.

While the virus does not pose any health risks to humans, it has the capacity to decimate hog populations. —Karl R. Ocampo