DA, stakeholders set P210/kg. minimum farmgate price for pork

By Stephanie Sevillano, Philippine News Agency

PORK FARMGATE PRICE. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (third from left) and other agriculture officials meet with the hog industry stakeholders to discuss recovery of local hog raisers on Tuesday (Nov. 4, 2025) at the Department of Agriculture (DA) Central Office in Quezon City. The two parties agreed to set a PHP210 per kg. minimum farmgate price for live hogs to help local producers recover from their losses due to the effects of African swine fever. (Photo: Department of Agriculture – Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – Local hog producers are set to benefit from the PHP210 per kg. minimum farmgate price for live hogs, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday.

This came following the agreement between the DA and stakeholders to set a minimum buying price to support the recovery of the local hog industry against the effects of African swine fever (ASF).

“Nagkasundo ang DA at saka mga local hog producers na mag-establish ng (The DA and local hog producers have agreed to establish a) minimum farmgate price of PHP210 per kilo for live hogs para tulungan yung mga magba-baboy na maka-recover sa kanilang (to allow hog raisers to recover from their) losses,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in a phone interview.

Farmgate prices have already plunged to PHP150 to PHP180 per kg., based on the monitoring reports of the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI), and the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PROPORK).

This amount is almost equal to or even lower than the average production costs of PHP170 to PHP180 per kg. for backyard and commercial hog raisers, according to the DA.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., meanwhile, said the low farmgate prices have not translated to lower retail prices.

“Farmgate prices have fallen sharply, yet consumers haven’t felt any relief… During my market visits, I’ve seen liempo still selling for around PHP400 a kilo,” he said in a separate statement.

De Mesa said the DA aims to impose the minimum farmgate price for live hogs within the year.

Besides the farmgate price of live hogs, the agriculture chief also flagged the “over-importation” of pork due to lower tariffs.

“This has flooded the market, squeezed local producers, and endangered both our food security and farmers’ livelihoods,” he said.

Under Executive Order 62, duties imposed on pork were lowered to 25 percent from the previous 40 percent.

Stakeholders then urged the government to revert to the original 40 percent tariffs to boost a stronger recovery for the sector.

For his part, SINAG Executive Director Jayson Cainglet thanked the DA for its actions to aid the hog industry.

“What is happening now to our local hog raisers is similar to the predicament facing our rice farmers, that is bearing the brunt of excessive imports. We thank the DA for heeding the call of the local hog industry to revert pork tariffs to its original rate,” he said.

The DA also plans to reimpose a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork to protect consumers from unreasonable price levels and balance “profitability” across the value chain.

Both the DA and the stakeholders have yet to agree on the new MSRP for pork.

Earlier, the DA set the pork MSRP at PHP380 per kg. for “liempo” (belly); PHP350 per kg. for “kasim” (ham) and pigue (pork leg); and PHP300 per kg. for “sabit-ulo” (pig carcass).