May 5, 2011
Higher tariffs on Philippine pork offals may push through
The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is awaiting the decision of the Committee on Tariffs and Related Matters (CTRM) regarding its petition to raise tariffs on pork offal.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Davinio Catbagan said the department is looking at pushing for the maximum duty imposed on pork products pegged at 40 percent. Catbagan, however, would not confirm whether this was the DA's recommendation to the CTRM.
Agriculture officials said that they recommended a duty increase for pork offals to the CTRM in January. As of the last week of April, the committee has not yet acted on the request of the DA.
Local pork producers cited the entry of imported pork products, including pork offal as one of the major reasons for their declining competitiveness.
Based on data provided by the Bureau of Animal Industry, shipments of pork offal have already reached 48.45 million kilograms or 48,450 tonnes as of Nov. 18, 2010.
This volume has already surpassed the total shipments of pork offal into the Philippines in 2009, when shipments of pork byproducts were pegged at almost 29 million kilograms or 29,000 MT.
The Philippines' major sources of pork offal are the United States and Canada.
The DA noted that pork by-products are treated as "waste" and are not usually consumed in countries where these products are sourced.
