Hi members,
Below was the statement of Edwin Chen, president of the Pork Producers Association of the Philippines last December 6, 2011.
“We are encouraging our members to put up their own meat shops and sell the pork products at lower prices, and then brand it. This way, we would cut out the middlemen and minimize the chances for undue price manipulation,” Mr Chen said.
Mr Chen said hog raisers, particularly those into backyard farming, were losing P1 billion a month from falling farm gate prices. Backyard hog raisers consist 70 percent of the total swine industry.
“Farm gate prices of pork continue to drop, but prices in the market have not been adjusted downward and continue to increase, which is a disadvantage to both farmers and consumers,” Mr Chen said.
The group suspects that some people, including slaughterhouse operators, are manipulating the prices of pork in the market.
