June 19, 2026

 

Philippines accelerates hog industry recovery as government targets six million more pigs by 2028

 

 

The Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that it is intensifying efforts to rebuild the country's hog population while maintaining stable pork supplies and prices, underscoring the delicate balancing act between industry recovery and food security amid the lingering threat of African swine fever (ASF).

 

In a statement on June 15, the DA acknowledged that the Philippines has yet to rebuild its hog population, which was estimated at around 13 million head in 2019 before ASF began decimating the country's pig herd.

 

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. described the swine sector as a cornerstone of Philippine agriculture and a critical source of livelihood for thousands of rural families, citing the government's challenge of accelerating hog population recovery in ASF-free areas while protecting farmers' incomes and ensuring consumers continue to have access to affordable pork.

 

"Through stronger biosecurity measures, science-based repopulation programmes, and close collaboration with industry stakeholders, we are rebuilding a more resilient and sustainable swine sector," Tiu Laurel said.

 

"Our goal is to help Filipino hog raisers recover from the impact of African swine fever while ensuring that every Filipino family continues to have access to safe, sufficient, and reasonably priced pork," he added. "A stronger hog industry means a stronger rural economy and greater food security for the nation."

 

The agency said it has been working closely with local governments, industry groups, and private-sector partners to strengthen biosecurity protocols and accelerate repopulation efforts in areas declared free of ASF.

 

According to the DA, the objective is to restore domestic production capacity while reducing the industry's vulnerability to future disease outbreaks.

 

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the agency said the country's total swine inventory stood at 8.75 million head in 2025, down from 9.57 million a year earlier.

 

The DA said smallholder farms accounted for 6.09 million head, while semi-commercial and commercial farms made up the remainder.

 

It added that the number of hogs slaughtered last year declined to 20.74 million head from 21.61 million in 2024 and 25.36 million in 2020.

 

The DA explained that the recovery effort is closely tied to the government's broader food security agenda, as pork remains one of the country's most widely consumed sources of protein and an important factor in controlling food inflation.

 

At the same time, the agency continues to encourage consumers to support locally produced pork, arguing that stronger demand for domestic products helps generate jobs, sustain rural livelihoods, and stimulate economic activity in farming communities.

 

In May, the DA said it was accelerating efforts to rebuild the country's swine industry through an expanded repopulation programme, beginning with the procurement of around 32,000 gilts, or young female pigs that have yet to produce their first litter.

 

The government aims to add six million hogs to the national herd by 2028.

 

Based on data from the DA's Bantay Presyo monitoring system in selected Metro Manila markets as of June 15, prevailing pork prices were ₱340 (US$5.95) per kilogramme for pork ham, ₱390 (US$6.82) per kilogramme for pork belly, ₱250 (US$4.37) per kilogramme for frozen kasim, and ₱300 (US$5.25) per kilogramme for frozen liempo.

 

- Malaya Business Insight