Meat dealers eye 5-day ‘pig holiday’ to protest smuggling

Meat dealers are planning a 5-day “pig holiday” to protest and bring attention to the problem of smuggling in the country, a Radyo Inquirer 990AM report said.

According to the report, businessmen from the meat industry are alarmed at the chronic technical smuggling that has caused a decline in the price of pork.

READ: Smuggling of agri products surged to P182B in 2010-2014 – Sinag

The group has yet to set a date for the said “pig holiday.”

Agap Partylist Representative Nicanor Briones reportedly said that the farm gate price of pork went down from P115 per kilo in August to about P90 per kilo this month.

While it is normal for prices to go down in August, it usually goes up again in November because of the high demand due to the holiday season.

Briones said the government was also affected by smuggling. In 2015, it is estimated that the government lost P6.3 billion in taxes due to the smuggling of pork and poultry.

Technical smugglers are able to bring in pork into the country for lower prices by declaring their inventory as pig skin and organs, instead of meat.

RELATED STORIES

BOC chief quits: Sevilla tells of allegedly mounting Iglesia ni Cristo pressure

Bureau of Customs foils ex-LTO chief Virginia Torres