The Philippines is likely to import more beef/carabeef and pork products in 2025 as demand will continue to outweigh production, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Manila.
In a report dated Aug. 19, 2024 FAS Manila said importation of beef/carabeef for 2025 is seen reaching 226,000 metric tons (MT) carcass weight equivalent (CWE), up 2.7 percent from this year’s estimate of 220,000 MT CWE.
USDA defines CWE as the weight of meat cuts and meat products converted to an equivalent weight of a dressed carcass that includes bone, fat, tendons, ligaments and inedible trimmings.
The report said higher importation is due to continued economic growth, population increase, strong consumer purchasing power and downward trend in prices of major suppliers such as Australia and Brazil.
In contrast, local production next year is expected to hit 184,000 MT CWE, up a percent from this year’s 183,000 MT CWE because of limited land suitable for raising cattle and high feed prices.
“Increased imports of cattle genetics and live animals have resulted in the sector keeping pace with current beef and carabeef production but is not resulting in a meaningful increase in herd numbers or overall meat production,” the FAS Manila report said.
Local beef/carabeef consumption is seen going up by 2 percent to 409,000 MT CWE from this year’s 402,000 MT CWE.
The report said the Philippines may experience a 6- percent increase in pork imports in 2025 to 510,000 MT CWE from this year’s 480,000 MT CWE due animal disease challenges paired with strong economic growth and population increases.
Local pork production is projected to grow 2 percent to 1.06 million MT CWE from 1.04 million MT CWE this year.
FAS Manila said swine production profitability will improve in 2025 with feed costs declining as domestic corn harvest will return to normal after being affected by El Niño this year and the continued impacts of African swine fever to the local hog industry.
FAS Manila sees local consumption of pork to grow 2 percent to 1.58 million MT CWE from this year’s 1.55 million MT CWE.
Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry showed that from January to May 68.53 million kg of imported beef arrived in the country while 253.55 million kg of imported pork entered the country for the period.
