HOG raisers rushed to sell their produce ahead of the rainy season due to fears of another African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, boosting supply and driving down farmgate prices, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Monday.
High pork prices following an ASF outbreak last year had encouraged producers to raise more hogs. But as the rainy season approached, fears of another outbreak prompted many farms to sell early.
“Rather than risk getting hit by ASF, or having an outbreak occur next door, they want to sell everything before they are affected,” Tiu Laurel said.
A Department of Agriculture (DA) investigation found that the rush by local raisers to sell their hogs was the main factor behind the decline in farmgate prices.
Philippine Statistics Authority data showed hog production rose 5.6 percent to 412,280 metric tons (MT) liveweight in the second quarter from 390,490 MT a year earlier.
Despite higher production, the average farmgate price of hogs plunged nearly 19 percent to P172.44 per kilo from P211.91 a year earlier.
As of Sept. 7, the DA’s Bantay Presyo showed local pork ham selling at P350/kg and imported ham at P240. Local pork belly cost P370/kg compared with P300 for imported pork belly.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) projects meat imports this year to decline by about 50,000 MT from 851,760 MT in 2025, citing higher domestic production and heavy importation by food processors last year.
Latest BAI data showed Philippine meat imports reached 1.02 billion kg from January to July.
The DA said it expects the commercial rollout of an ASF vaccine approved by the BAI to help stabilize and expand pork supply by giving hog raisers greater confidence to continue production instead of selling prematurely.
ASF does not infect humans, but can devastate hog populations, forcing farmers to cull infected or exposed animals, and discouraging producers from restocking.
The disease has been detected in 76 of the country’s 82 provinces.
The government is also building the country’s first ASF vaccine manufacturing laboratory at Central Luzon State University, with completion expected next year.
Tiu Laurel said domestic vaccine production could strengthen food security and make the livestock industry more self-reliant.
