PORK GETS PRICEY

live hogs,” Recoter told News.

Panay The director noted that in the first two months this year, live hogs were sold at P130 to P140 per kilo. From March until now, the price ranges around P150 to P170.

This was in relation to the dearth in pork supply in the National Capital Region (NCR) due to the African swine fever (ASF). Western Visayas supplies pork to the NCR.

Purchasers from Metro Manila were buying live hogs at P150 to P170 per kilo “so

kon ikaw tag- bakal,” Recoter explained. iya, didto mo ibaligya sa taas ang

This situation actually benefits hog raisers, she pointed out. Consumers, meanwhile, may experience the “slight” increase just for now.

DA-6 records showed that as of third week of March, about 70,000 heads of live hogs have been delivered to Metro Manila from the region.

Western Visayas has maintained its ASF-free status.

The DA- 6 is banking on President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent approval of Executive Order (EO) 128. What does it provides? EO 128 reduces tariff rates for both in-quota and out-quota imports of pork.

Tariff rates for imported pork within the minimum access volume will be down to five

HOPES ON EO 128

percent for the first three months upon the EO’s effectivity and 10 percent for the fourth to 12th month from the current rate of 30 percent.

“With this, we are expecting that these pork imports would boost the supply, especially in Metro Manila. So this would imply ma- decrease live hogs

nga na ang ila,” Recoter stressed.

nga ipadala naton didto Meantime, if a consumer finds sa the current pork prices in the markets costly, Recoter said they may opt to shift to other sources of protein like chicken or fish.

“So, shifting food preference may sa nga matabo. Siempre

other sources,” she kon mahal, may ara man mas said./ barato nga

PN