Manila: An official of the British Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (BCCP) on Wednesday emphasized the necessity of basing any changes in the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork imports on the country's current population to ensure food security and maintain inflation stability.

According to Philippines News Agency, this statement followed Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.'s earlier remark that they were considering revising the MAV rules, which are deemed outdated as they were established in 1996 when the population was approximately 70 million.

The DA has already adjusted import allocations, increasing the share for pork processors to 50 percent to prevent significant price hikes on processed meats amid supply declines. Previously, 70 percent of MAV allocations were designated for the largest importers.

BCCP Executive Director Chris Nelson highlighted in a briefing on Wednesday that the country's pork supply is currently hindered by the African swine fever (ASF), with recovery expected to be gradual due to the extensive volume of hogs affected by the virus.

Data from the DA indicate that as of July 11, about 51 villages in Luzon and the Visayas are affected by ASF, a reduction from the previous year's levels due to government interventions. With ASF impacting the domestic pork supply, Nelson advised that revised MAV policies should account for the population to ensure adequate supply access.

Nelson also mentioned that although the Philippines' pork imports from the UK are not substantial, they are beneficial, with more producers willing to provide supply. "We will be one of the countries supplying it. Not the only one, we're not the largest, but what we want to do is create long-term relations," he stated.

Citing data from the DA Trade System, Nelson noted that the Philippines imported about 16.99 million kg of meat from the UK by the end of September.