The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced it has been working to sell subsidized pork products through the government’s Kadiwa outlets starting August 2025, as part of an overall drive to bring down the prices of basic commodities such as meat and rice.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a briefing in Quezon City on Monday the agency’s best efforts have been focused on an August start for the direct sale of subsidized pork to the public.
Tiu Laurel said they will prioritize pork from local producers but they will also tap imported supply.
He added that the pork supply can be sold at lower prices as the government through the Food Terminal Inc., can directly buy from farms and also handle the butchering and delivery to outlets.
“From those alone, we already see a P50-per-kilogram reduction,” Tiu Laurel said.
However, he pointed out that the DA FTI will also consider imported pork supply since local hog production has not restored the volumes from pre-African swine fever years.
The direct sale of subsidized pork will first be tested in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Even Metro Davao and in accredited companies and organizations listed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“At present, we still don’t see putting a buying limit under this program. In the future, there may be, depending on the stock level, but we will not have a limit with the initial salvo, as long as they don’t buy just for re-selling purposes,” Tiu Laurel said.
He added that as of Monday, they were not keen on reinstating the minimum suggested retail price (MSRP) for locally sourced pork due to supply issues.
However, the DA said it may reinstate the MSRP for imported pork supply at around P270 to P300 per kg. for kasim, and P300 to P350 per kg. for liempo.
Tiu Laurel said they have been mulling the move after learning that some retailers sell lower-priced frozen pork at the price range of the more expensive freshly slaughtered pork.
Based on the DA monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region, the prevailing prices of pork ham ranged from P350 to P430 per kg; pork belly from P380 to P490 per kg; frozen kasim from P230 to P300 per kg; and frozen liempo from P290 to P350.
