Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to introduce a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on pork by March 10, amid concerns over increasing pork prices.
According to Philippines News Agency, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced this decision during a media interview, stating that after consultations with industry stakeholders on March 6, the implementation of the MSRP is likely to follow on March 10. The final MSRP is still under review and may be concluded by March 7.
The proposed MSRP suggests a significant reduction in pork prices, with pork belly priced at PHP380 and pork ham at PHP360, down from their current levels of PHP450. As of March 3, pork belly prices in Metro Manila ranged from PHP375/kg to PHP480/kg, while pork ham ranged from PHP350/kg to PHP420/kg, based on data from DA Bantay Presyo. Prices exceeding PHP400/kg have been deemed 'unreasonable' by Tiu Laurel.
Furthermore, the DA and pork industry stakeholders have agreed to investigate the causes of rising pork prices, evaluate production layers, and assess the cost structure from farmgate to retail.
In terms of African swine fever (ASF) vaccination, Tiu Laurel expressed optimism about obtaining approval for the commercial use of AVAC live vaccines from Vietnam by April. The DA aims to commercialize these vaccines in the first week of April, pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
FDA Director General Samuel Zacate assured that the vaccine application would be reviewed carefully to ensure safety and efficacy. The evaluators will independently assess the application under commercial use requirements.
Currently, the DA is distributing AVAC live vaccines following the FDA's issuance of a certificate of product registration (CPR) for government-controlled vaccination in July 2024. The target is to administer 490,000 doses of ASF AVAC live vaccines under the current CPR. As of February 14, the number of barangays with active ASF cases has decreased to 68, down from 534 affected barangays in October 2024.
