We welcome the decision of Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte to temporarily reduce import duties of pork for the next 12 months. We consider it a victory for the millions of Filipino consumers who have been suffering from the shortage of local pork, thus pushing prices to levels beyond their reach.
Meat processors and legitimate importers will benefit from this landmark decision, and this will allow us to bring back affordable value-added pork products to the market.
We understand that this reduction of duties is for all importers, and we enjoin the country’s hog industry to take part as well.
We commiserate with them as they continue to battle the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus, which has wiped out a huge portion of their hog population. If they import themselves, they would be able to recover part of their losses and at the same time enable them to serve their network of pork dealers and ultimately benefit the consumers.
