Philippines cracks down on mislabeling of frozen meat

Mr Tiu Laurel directed three DA agencies to lead the inspections:

• ✅ Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service 
• ✅ Bureau of Animal Industry
• ✅ National Meat Inspection Service

These agencies will check compliance with food safety and fair trade rules in supermarkets and wet markets.

Support for pig farmers amid price gaps

The order comes as farmers face steep losses due to low farm prices of live pigs.

The DA and industry groups have agreed to set a minimum farm price of around USD 3.55/kg live pigs. This is a significant increase from the current USD 2.54-3.04/kg range, which producers say is below production cost.

Despite falling farmgate prices, retail pork remains expensive, with pork belly still averaging USD 6.76/kg. Mr Tiu Laurel said this price gap hurts both farmers and consumers. He suggested reinstating a maximum suggested retail price for pork to address the imbalance.

Tariff reforms and market transparency

Key industry groups have also called for higher pork import tariffs. They want the current 25% rate raised back to 40%, arguing that lower tariffs have led to over-importation and harmed local producers. The DA is reviewing this proposal and studying the reclassification of pork jowls.

Currently treated as offal, pork jowls are taxed at a lower rate. The DA plans to apply a higher tariff due to rising demand from processors and restaurants.

These measures aim to improve transparency in the meat market and protect consumer interests. They also seek to restore profitability for local hog raisers amid ongoing price volatility.