A shipping vessel from Surigao Port loaded with 13 trucks containing 1,350 live hogs arrived at the Talao-talao Port in Lucena City, Province of Quezon on Tuesday.
In a news statement, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the hogs will be delivered to the National Capital Region (NCR).
Agriculture Undersecretary and BFAR National Director Eduardo B. Gongona said the BFAR leased shipping vessels that would help transport hogs from Mindanao regions, particularly South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudrarat, Sarangani and General Santos (SOCCSKSARGEN), Davao Region to address the supply gap that triggered the spike in the price of pork in the NCR.
To recall, President Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 124, which imposed a 60-day price cap on pork and chicken products in Metro Manila.
However, meat dealers and vendors are reluctant to comply with the price cap and even declared a “pork holiday.”
Under the EO, the price ceiling for a kilogram of kasim and pigue is at P270, P300 per kilogram for liempo, and P160 per kilogram for dressed chicken.
The move is in response to the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) for a whole-of-agriculture sector approach to diffuse supply and stabilize prices of pork and fish in Metro Manila, Gongona said.
“This effort aims to fully support the Department of Agriculture’s strategic initiative to ensure the continuous flow of affordable and available food supply, particularly pork and fisheries products in Metro Manila”, he said.
Gongona reported to DA Secretary William Dar that the batch of hogs that arrived today is only the first shipment.
More supply of hogs will come in the coming weeks as the DA-BFAR will continue to provide transport assistance at a minimum of six shipments per month for the next two months or until the prices of pork in Metro Manila stabilize, he said.
Aside from extending logistics assistance to ensure sufficient pork supply in Metro Manila, the DA-BFAR taps key fish suppliers in Mindanao as part of its commitment to ensure that sufficient fish and fishery products in the market is available for the consuming public at a reasonable price.
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