Philippine hog production posts slight increase
Hog production in the Philippines grew by a mere 1.02% year-on during the first half of the year, according to the latest data from the country's Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).
Of the total, 65% came from backyard farms, with the remaining 35% from commercial farms.
BAS said the Philippines produced 966,000 tonnes of live hogs for the first six months of 2014 compared to only 956,250 tonnes for the same period last year.
Total swine inventory as of July 1 reached 11.98 million head, a 0.68% improvement from the 11.96 million head during the same time last year.
"Stocks in backyard farms went up by 0.94% while those in commercial farms grew by 0.22% against last year's level," the BAS said.
The first-half period also recorded price increases from last year. "Average farmgate price per kg of live hog went up by 5.54%, while wholesale price per kg rose by 4.57%," it said.
The BAS also noted that retail price per kilogramme of pork in Metro Manila, the Philippine capital, increased 6.84% during the period.
Sow (breeding female) inventory in July reached 1.56 million head, about 1.8% higher than last year's 1.53 million head. Sows accounted for 12.86% of the total swine population.
The number of gilts (young sow) was at 493,370 head, down 0.33% from the 2013 level of 494,990 head.
For fatteners, total inventory as of July stood at 3.74 million head, which is 1.54% higher than last year's 3.68 million head. Fatteners accounted for 30.94% to the total swine inventory.
However, the total number of growers for the period was recorded at 3.63 million head or 0.1% lower than last year's 3.64 million head. Growers accounted for 30.59% of the total swine stock.
Piglets, weanlings and boars, classified as others, contributed 21.49% to the total swine population, with a combined inventory of 2.56 million head, an improvement of 0.08% from last year's level.
Pork imports, as of May 31 of this year, reached 96,777 tonnes, data from the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (ProPork) show.
In contrast, the country exported a total of 927.6 tonnes of canned and processed meat to other countries for the January-to-May period, the Department of Agriculture said.
