The country’s meat imports in January to August rose by 7 percent year-on-year to over 850,000 metric tons (MT) due to higher pork purchases from abroad, the latest government data showed.
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) data indicated that total meat imports during the 8-month period reached 851,840.294 MT, 56,253.577 MT higher than the 795,586.717 MT recorded a year ago.
BAI data showed that out of the 7 categories of imported meat products, only pork and lamb meat posted increments on an annual basis.
The country’s pork imports, which accounted for 54.56 percent of total meat imports, rose by a fifth year-on-year to 464,838.711 MT from last year’s 385,563.34 MT.
Imports of prime cuts of pork, which currently enjoy a lower tariff rate, accounted for 55 percent of total pork imports during the period.
In January to August, purchases of imported prime cuts of pork (pork bellies and cuts) expanded by 33.9 percent to 257,187.043 MT from 192,081.773 MT last year.
The country’s imports of pork offal, a raw material used by processed meat manufacturers, rose by 14.82 percent to 143,560.405 MT from last year’s 125,034.837 MT.
Spain was the country’s top pork supplier during the 8-month period, accounting for 154,540.746 MT, followed by Canada with 86,905.169 MT.
Figures from the BAI also showed that the country’s chicken meat imports fell by 6 percent to 244,804.166 MT from 260,309.849 MT a year ago. Chicken meat imports accounted for 28.74 percent of total meat imports during the 8-month period.
The drop in total chicken meat imports was caused by lower purchases of chicken cuts and chicken leg quarters.
BAI data showed that imports of chicken leg quarters fell by 26.72 percent to 61,795.323 MT from last year’s 84,325.956 MT while imports of chicken cuts fell to 28,449.580 MT from 28,567.037 MT.
Meanwhile, the country’s imports of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken—a vital raw material for various processed meat products like hot dogs—grew 6.86 percent to 148,378.606 MT from 138,843.952 MT. Imports of chicken MDM accounted for 60 percent of total chicken meat import volume.
BAI data showed that Brazil was the country’s top chicken meat supplier with 135,799.725 MT followed by the United States with 73,304.198 MT.
Earlier this month, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. filed a petition at the Tariff Commission to retain the 5 percent tariff rate on MDM of chicken and turkey (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/09/12/poultry-group-amenable-to-extending-validity-of-lower-mdm-tariff-rate/).
The country’s beef imports fell by 1.57 percent to 110,124.054 MT from 111,880.244 MT last year, based on BAI data.
