November 9, 2020

Philippines boosts local live hog shipments to Luzon

Local shipments of live hogs and frozen carcass or 'pork-in-a-box' from Visayas and Mindanao, the Philippines, to Luzon - which have started since May - amounted to nearly 100,000 hogs, according to the Philippines' Department of Agriculture.

Weekly shipments have also increased last week, ranging from 27,000 heads to 30,000 heads of hogs coming from ports in Davao, General Santos, and Cagayan de Oro. Shipments will be maintained at that range until December 2020, said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

Dar said the concerted effort will greatly boost the dwindling supply of pork in Luzon due to the depopulation of hog farms infected with African swine fever (ASF).

Dar added that the suggested retail price for pork and other pork products is currently being reviewed.

Currently, prices of pork in selected supermarkets are much lower than in wet markets in Metro Manila, he said.

- Department of Agriculture (The Philippines)