The volume of meat imports in the first quarter increased by 1.03 percent to 265.52 million kilograms (kg) from 262.81 million kg in the same period in 2022, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Pork made up bulk of the imports at 114.82 million kg or 43.24 percent of total and is 17.24 percent lower compared to first quarter 2022’s 138.74 million kg.
Chicken followed with 102.74 million kg or 38.7 percent of all imported meat in the quarter.
Chicken imports surged by 31.85 percent from 77.93 million kg a year ago.
The BAI report also showed beef shipments stood at 33.15 million kg or 12.48 percent of all meat imports. The volume is 11.27 percent lower than the 37.36 million kg in first quarter 2022.
The Philippines imported 14.47 million kg of buffalo, a 70.62 percent jump from first quarter 2022’s 8.48 million kg, while turkey imports slumped by 60.77 percent to 87,739 kg from 223,642 kg in first quarter 2022.
Lamb imports stood at 140,868 kg, a 127.73 percent jump from first quarter 2022’s 61,858 kg while duck imports were at 102,717 equivalent to 493.43 percent increase from 2022 figures of 17,309 kg.
