May 11, 2012
 

Philippine meat producers assure steady supply

Hog and chicken raisers in the Philippines said that there is no shortage in the supply of pork meat, saying even as the government earlier claimed that there is enough supply of pigs and chicken for local markets.

Rosendo So, chairman of Abono party-land convenor of the Swine Development Council also belied allegation that the sector is out to blackmail the government for threatening to hold a five-day pork holiday if it does not make good of its commitment to address the problem of rampant smuggling of meat.

Hog and chicken producers also lashed back at "unnamed" leaders of the Alliance of Food Processors for accusing them of economic sabotage.

The group in a statement said that the illegal importation of misdeclared meat is threatening the livelihood of backyard farmers and agricultural workers in allied trades.

So added that they are after the interest and survival of the local pork and poultry sectors that may face its untimely demise due to unabated smuggling of pork and chicken by unscrupulous importers.

So also cleared that their group are not blackmailing the government nor engaged in economic sabotage but just wanted to implore the government to go after unscrupulous importers who are engaged in technical smuggling.

So also said that it is the crooked importers, in connivance with the corrupt customs and agriculture personnel, who are the ones sabotaging the economy because they do not only deprive the government of billions of pesos in revenues, but they also causing the collapse of the local growers, including the allied industries.

So also noted that the government has been losing PHP3.7 billion (US$86.87 million) in annual revenues due to technical smuggling of pork and chicken where unscrupulous importers misdeclare their importations to avoid paying higher tariff of 40 percent.

The illegal importation have killed 20 percent of multi-billion backyard industry and not paying the proper tariff to the government, So pointed out.

For his part, Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said that the bureau has now on alert status over the importations of frozen food.

Biazon, who attended the recently concluded Hog Raisers Convention in Cebu City, assured the bureau's all out efforts to curb frozen food smuggling, particularly meat.

He said that all BOC operating units will closely monitor and/or conduct full examination on all frozen food importations, even as he also ordered a review of the records of the country's past frozen meat importations.

Biazon said that he is not discounting the possibility of connivance among customs officials, officers of other agencies involved in the regulation of the country's meat importation and importers.