Meat imports rose by 19.4 percent to 1.33 billion kilograms in January to November 2024, compared to 1.12 billion kilograms recorded in the same period in 2023, data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed.
Pork comprised bulk of the meat imports during the nine-month period at 671.56 million kg, or 50.4 percent of the total.
It was also 21.9 percent higher than the 550.54 million kg of pork imports for the similar period in 2023.
This was followed by chicken at 435.5 million kg or 32.7 percent of all imported meat in January to November 2024. It increased by 10.7 percent from 393.29 million kg in 2023.
Beef imports stood at 187.7 million kg or 14.1 percent of all meat imports for the period. The volume is 39.7 percent higher than the 134.4 million kg recorded in 2023.
BAI data also showed that the Philippines imported 35.22 million kg of buffalo, lower by 1.2 percent from 2023’s 35.66 million kg, while turkey imports jumped by 121.3 percent to 1.27 million kg from 574,930 kg in 2023.
Lamb imports for the period dropped by 13.4 percent to 613,447 kg from the previous year’s 708,296 kg.
Imported duck meat also fell by 25.8 percent to 208,793 kg from 2023’s 281,333 kg.
Based on data from the Department of Agriculture’s Bantay Presyo in select markets in Metro Manila, the prevailing prices as of January 15 of pork kasim is at P330 to P400 per kg; pork liempo at P370 to P450 per kg; frozen kasim at P230 to P280 per kg; frozen liempo at P270 to P350 per kg; whole dressed chicken at P150 to P230 per kg; beef rump at P400 to P500 per kg; and beef brisket at P320 to P460 per kg.