January 1, 2011

 

Philippine province's hog, poultry raisers demand halt to food importation

 

 

Hog and poultry raisers in Pangasinan, Philippines have insisted on the government to stop the imports of agricultural products in 2011 because it is derailing the country's effort to attain food self-sufficiency.

 

Rosendo So, vice president of the National Hog and Poultry Raisers Association of the Philippines, said the government should instead provide more support for stakeholders in the agricultural sector to attain food self-sufficiency.

 

"Farmers, hog raisers and poultry growers are vital contributors to the food basket of our country," So said.

 

He said the importation of agricultural products, particularly, rice, chicken and pork, has steadily increased since 2005.

 

For chicken alone, he said, the volume that entered the country increased by 71% from 2005 to 2010.

 

"This year alone, the government allowed the importation of 97,197,041 kilogrammes of chicken, which [represents] about 31% increase from the 67.26 million kg in 2009," So said.

 

He said the steep increase in the level of pork importation has been alarming to hog raisers.

 

This year, he said, pork importation increased by 71% compared to the 2005 level.

 

"Pork importation this year is 34% higher than the 114,365,159 kg imported in 2009," So said.

 

He said feed requirements for locally grown hog and chicken are shouldered by farmers. But in other countries, he said, governments support their farmers, making their products cheaper.

 

"For example, when input costs went up, [foreign governments] gave their farmers [subsidies] so corn can be sold at PHP6 (US$0.14) a kg," So said. "Here in our country, the price of corn is PHP12 (US$0.27) a kg because the government does not extend price support to our farmers."

 

"Since hog feed is more expensive in the Philippines, the price of local pork is also more expensive than imported pork," So said.

 

He said the continuing increase in the volume of imported rice, pork and chicken has been a drain to the coffers of the national government and has not helped in improving the food production capacity of the country.

 

"This means that we are patronising the products of farmers, hog raisers and poultry growers from foreign countries to the detriment of the local [industry]," he said.

 

So said the government should instead allocate the money meant for importation to support the input requirements of local farmers, hog raisers and poultry growers.

 

"The money used to import rice, for example, should be used instead to support our farmers in the form of fertilisers, insecticides, seedlings, irrigation and other services," he said.