June 4, 2008

Singapore, Philippines to finalize pilot pork shipment

The Philippine pork sector awaits Singaporean pork buyers to arrive around July or August and consolidate trade with the only authorized pork exporter.

Maria Elizabeth Callanta, National Meat Inspection Service export coordinator for Singapore, said the upcoming visit will be in response to the recent trade mission in Singapore spearheaded by Matutum Meat Packing Corp.

Callanta said that the two countries were already done with the regulatory aspects and the Philippines now prepares for actual shipment.

Matutum Meat, which is based in South Cotabato, was authorized late last month by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore for pork exports.

Matutum Meat is one of two Mindanao firms earlier identified by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to pioneer the Philippines' foray in the foreign pork market.

Agriculture secretary Arthur Yap has originally targeted the nation's foreign pork shipment to take place in July 2007.