The country imported over 851.84 million kg of imported meat in the first eight months of the year, 7 percent higher than the 795.59 million kg of meat imported from January to August 2021, according to data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Pork comprised bulk at 464.84 million kg or 54 percent of the total. Pork imports for the period rose 20 percent from the 385.56 million kg. in the same period in 2021.
Chicken followed with 244.8 million kg or 29 percent of all imported meat from January to August 2022. The figure is 6 percent lower than 2021’s 260.31 million kg.
Beef imports were at 110.12 million kg or13 percent of all meat imports in the period. The volume is flat from last year’s 111.88 million kg.
BAI said the Philippines imported 31,275,438 million kg of buffalo, lower by 13 percent from 2021’s 36,183,598 million kg as turkey imports plummeted by 76 percent to 304,356 kg from 2021’s 1.27 million kg.
Lamb imports surged by 38 percent to 445,052 kg from the previous year’s 321,145 kg while imported duck meat also dropped by 13 percent to 48,518 kg this year from 2021’s 55,891 kg.
Arrivals of both chicken and turkey products have slowed down for the first eight months of the year. However, their entries are expected to build up in the last four months of the year during the onset of the Christmas season. – Jed Macapagal
