Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri urged Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to crack down on pork price manipulators, smugglers, and excessive meat imports amid the struggles of local hog raisers.
During a Senate budget hearing, Zubiri called for stronger enforcement, including regular public market inspections, to address the gap between low farm-gate prices and high retail costs.
He said farm-gate prices had dropped from ₱185 per kilogram in 2024 to ₱90–₱120 this year, below production costs of ₱130–₱140 per kilogram.
Zubiri warned that backyard hog raisers, who account for around 80 percent of the country’s pork producers, are suffering financial losses despite pork belly selling for as much as ₱380 per kilogram in public markets.
In response, Tiu Laurel said the Department of Agriculture is considering suspending imports of pork shoulder, ham, and belly for 60 days or halting the issuance of new import clearances.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 23, 2026
