Pinoyagribusiness

Import of meat products seen to rise in 2008

By Amy R. Remo
Inquirer
Last updated 02:49am (Mla time) 11/14/2007

MANILA, Philippines--THE IMPORTATION OF MEAT AND MEAT products may slightly increase in 2008 due to the appreciation of the peso against the dollar.

According to Francisco J. Buencamino, executive director of the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc., the meat industry may find it more economical to import since meat products from abroad are estimated to be cheaper by 20 percent.

Thus, he added, “we can expect there will be heavier dependence on imports in 2008.”

In 2006, the country had imported a total of 181 million kilos of meat, including pork, beef, carabeef and meat additives.

This year however, the industry sees an 11-percent decline in meat imports, Buencamino said.

Despite the expected decline, he said that the country can expect “more meat imports in the next three or four months.”

The country currently imports meat from the United States, Korea, Australia, Brazil and parts of South America, which are free of the foot-and-mouth disease.

Buencamino also noted that another advantage of importation is that the meat products have already been sorted, which means the importing firms get in particular the meat portions they need.

He explained that locally, meat is bought in bulk so there is a need for further processing and sorting.

For the Christmas season, Buencamino has meanwhile assured the public that there is an ample supply of meat and meat products in the local wet and retail markets.

Once the available meat volume drops by end-December, Buencamino said, local meat processors would then start importing products.

The livestock subsector, which accounted for 13.28 percent of total agricultural output, expanded by 2.57 percent in 2006.

This sector includes the carabao, cattle, hog, goat and dairy industries.

Hog production grew by 3.90 percent to 1.84 million metric tons.

Philippines is considered an agricultural country and yet meat imports are cheaper than local meat.  Why?  It's obvious, the government is not doing anything about it.  Many countries give subsidies to their farmers to help in their production and cut costs so as to sell affordable end products to the public.   On the otherhand, our government is preying on our agricultural budgets for their own wicked purposes. 

Peace.

bad news na ito for next year. Pampro is spearheading this import :-(

it so funny gov't telling mindanao hog farmer to export their hog to singapore PARA they can import hog for luzon

We sould get an union going..no imported goods at any cost and I am not joking

Its the high operating cost(s) to feed the livestock.plain and simple,feed millers also import certain things to mill in their feed,the feed we feed our livestock with.Farming all over the world is under the gun,the hardworking farmer trying to make a living is having to compete with the corporation farm(s) that are now taking over.Countries in South America produce cheap canned spam.Then one has currency value,when the peso value rises,imports are cheaper to buy.Its just business boys,everyone is looking out for number one.Mr Hog,  think there is a sort of union,there is a hog producers association,they are the ones who are suppose to speak on behalf of the hog producer(s) in country,no comment from them yet??
Do not sweat it boys,if a farmer had nothing to complain about,one would not be farming.

Independant  Producer:     mikey

wala na magawa ang national hog federation ngayon watak watak na  :(    let congressman Nicanor Briones (limcoma) do the job. let's unite and fight this big greedy Processors. this is no joke they really want to kill philippine hog industry.

Its really scary for alot of people.China will take over the world soon then what?you can see it every where in canada all goods from china. Jobs will be lost soon its to hard for any country to go against china.I bet some of the meat imported to the phills is not of good standard to. Some of us has spent alot of money in this biz.

Its really scary for alot of people.China will take over the world soon then what?you can see it every where in canada all goods from china. Jobs will be lost soon its to hard for any country to go against china.I bet some of the meat imported to the phills is not of good standard to. Some of us has spent alot of money in this biz.

opps sorry double post