THE Philippines’ meat imports in January to July rose by 7.8 percent to 757.3 million kilograms (kg), according to data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
BAI attributed the increase to the anticipation of low local supply due to the continuing effects of the African swine fever (ASF).
In January to July 2023, meat imports stood at 702.24 million kg.
Pork made up the bulk of the imports for the first seven months of the year at 372.94 million kg, equivalent to 49.2 percent of all imported meat.
This was followed by chicken meat at 255.38 million kg or 33.7 percent and beef at 101.69 million kg or 13.4 percent of the total imported meat shipped for the period.
Based on BAI’s data, the country imported 25.9 million kg of buffalo meat, 897,369 kg of turkey meat, 401,065 kg of lamb meat and 96,271 kg of duck meat.
In a separate statement, BAI said hog farmers and swine industry groups have asked the government to approve the emergency use authorization (EUA) of the ASF vaccine from Vietnam, instead of the monitored release granted by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the vaccine supplier.
EUA is defined by the United States FDA as the mechanism designed to facilitate the availability and use of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, during public health emergencies.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said authorization would depend on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declaring the current ASF outbreak a national emergency.
“We will study their request, which will allow greater access to the ASF vaccine for backyard piggeries,” Tiu Laurel said, after meeting with swine industry groups last week.
DA said the groups, led by Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones, presented a letter to the agency urging the President to declare the ASF outbreak a national emergency to enable the mass use of vaccines currently undergoing controlled trials by the DA through BAI.
The groups said the same vaccine was previously tested in Vietnam and the Philippines “with favorable results.”
Local hog growers also noted that in recent vaccinations conducted by the DA and BAI in Lobo, Batangas, 34 piglets showed 40 percent antibody levels.
