Meat imports rose 10 percent in May to 122.31 million kilograms (kg) from 110.92 million kg in the same month in 2022, data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed.
Pork made up bulk of the imports at 65.51 million kg or 53.56 percent of all meat that entered the country for the period.
The volume is 1.24 percent higher than May 2022’s pork imports of 64.71 million kg.
Chicken followed with 41.33 million kg or 33.8 percent of all imported meat in May 2023.
Chicken imports were up 45.9 percent as volumes for May 2022 reached 28.33 million kg.
The BAI report also showed beef imports last month stood at 10.94 million kg or 8.9 percent of all meat imports. The volume is 27.6 percent lower than the 15.12 million kg of beef imports in May 2022.
The Philippines also imported 4.36 million kg of buffalo which is a 65.8 percent jump from May 2022’s 2.63 million kg.
No turkey imports were recorded last month. In May last year, the country imported 27,500 kg of turkey.
Lamb imports stood at 153,564 kg, a 48.7 percent surge from May 2022’s 103,271 kg while duck imports amounted to 12,122 against May 2022’s 3,200 kg, an uptick of 278.8 percent.
Data from the Philippine Department of Agriculture’s Bantay Presyo in select markets in Metro Manila as of June 16 showed prevailing prices per kg of meat range from P280 to P340 for pork kasim; P310 to P390 for pork liempo; P150 to P200 for whole dressed chicken; P390 to P550 for beef rump and; P350 to P430 for beef brisket.
