Meat supply is expected to be ample during the remaining months of the year as government data would show imports rose 11 percent in the first eight months of the year to 907.77 million kilograms (kg) from 817.35 million kg in the same period in 2023
Jess Cham, president emeritus of the Meat Importers and Traders Association, said August meat imports data would show arrivals are catching up and supply would be ample this Christmas.
“However, while importers are squeezed, lower prices may not be passed on to the consumers. Other links in the value chain may keep the gains, especially that the market traditionally is anticipating higher prices in the last quarter,” Cham said, in a message to reporters over the weekend.
Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed ork made up bulk of the imports in January to August at 450.36 million kg, or 49.6 percent.
Chicken meat with 302.03 million kg followed, 33.3 percent share and beef, with 125.02 million kg, 13.8 percent.
The BAI report showed the country imported 28.8 million kg of buffalo; 964,657 kg of turkey meat; 540,534 kg of lamb meat; and 107,370 kg of duck meat.
Based on data from the Department of Agriculture’s Bantay Presyo in select markets in Metro Manila, as of October 10, prevailing price ranges of pork kasim is at P270 to P370 per kg; pork liempo at P310 to P395 per kg; whole dressed chicken at P160 to P230 per kg; beef rump at P400 to P490 per kg and beef brisket at P320 to P440 per kg.