Local Hog Industry Calls for Pork Import Suspension as DA Seeks Higher Tariffs

The local hog industry is calling for immediate government action as Filipino hog raisers continue to face depressed farmgate prices and mounting losses. The Department of Agriculture (DA) has expressed support for restoring higher pork import tariffs, but implementing these measures requires decisions beyond the department’s authority.

Industry group SINAG recognizes the DA’s efforts but believes the next steps must come from the government’s economic managers and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. It is now urging the administration to restore tariffs and temporarily suspend further pork importations to help address the current oversupply.

The DA Supports Higher Tariffs but Needs Government Action

The DA has faced growing pressure to address the difficulties confronting local hog raisers. According to SINAG, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. told the Senate that the department now supports restoring pork import tariffs to 30% for minimum access volume (MAV) imports and 40% for out-quota imports, subject to the Tariff Commission process.

However, the DA cannot independently implement every policy change being demanded by the industry. Decisions involving tariff adjustments and broader import restrictions require action from the appropriate government authorities, including the President and relevant economic officials.

Why the DA Cannot Solve the Crisis on Its Own

The DA is responsible for implementing agricultural policies and responding to problems affecting farmers and food production. However, its authority has limits when proposed solutions require changes to tariff policy or an executive order from the President.

SINAG argues that the local hog industry should direct its pressure toward the officials who can authorize the necessary measures. This distinction is important because the DA’s inability to implement a particular policy does not automatically mean the department is ignoring the concerns of hog raisers.

SINAG Wants Pork Import Tariffs Restored to 30% and 40%

SINAG is calling for two immediate measures to help address the continuing oversupply of pork and depressed farmgate prices. First, it wants tariffs restored to 30% for MAV imports and 40% for out-quota imports, subject to the required process. Second, it is asking the President to temporarily suspend further pork importations in response to the industry’s current difficulties. The group believes these steps require clear government policy rather than temporary administrative workarounds.

Why SINAG Is Not Joining the Protest at the DA

SINAG, together with the National Federation of Hog Farmers (NATFED), allied businesses, and member associations of backyard hog raisers, said it would not participate in the planned protest at the DA. The group stressed that its decision does not mean it is withdrawing its support for farmers or dismissing the concerns raised by other stakeholders.

Instead, it wants advocacy efforts focused on the economic managers and the President, particularly while Congress is on recess. SINAG also warned that the DA’s temporary inability to issue Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances (SPSICs) following computer system problems should not be mistaken for a lasting solution to the local hog industry crisis.

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Hog Raisers Want Immediate Relief and Clear Policy Direction

SINAG maintains that the survival of hog raisers and allied businesses depends on concrete government action. It is urging the economic managers to recommend the proposed measures and the President to issue an executive order restoring higher pork tariffs and temporarily suspending further imports.

The group also emphasized that it remains open to dialogue but will not consider temporary fixes sufficient to address the industry’s ongoing difficulties. For SINAG, protecting Filipino hog raisers is closely tied to strengthening domestic production and improving the country’s food self-sufficiency.

Seeking urgent relief

The local hog industry is seeking urgent relief as low farmgate prices and oversupply continue to threaten the livelihoods of Filipino hog raisers. While the DA has expressed support for restoring higher pork import tariffs, SINAG argues that decisive action must now come from the economic managers and the President. Its proposed measures include restoring tariffs to 30% for MAV imports and 40% for out-quota imports, alongside a temporary suspension of further pork importations.

The challenge now is turning these calls into clear, enforceable policy that supports local producers and strengthens Philippine food security.