METRO MANILA – A majority of senators are against the proposal of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to lower the tariff on imported pork while also boosting the volume to 400,000 metric tons, according to Senate Agriculture Committee chairperson Cynthia Villar.
During a Senate hearing on rising food prices on Monday, Villar said the DA’s recommendation to reduce the current tariff on pork products from 30 percent to 40 percent, to five percent to 20 percent would lead to P16 billion in losses.
Villar and Sen. Imee Marcos stressed importers have the capacity to pay for the current tariff rates, with the former claiming the move may “kill” the local hog industry.
“You don’t have to bring down the tariff. They can afford kasi P132 (per kilo) ang puhunan nila tapos ibebenta nila ng P270 to P300 (per kilo). Di pa ba enough iyon na tubo?” she said.
“Napakaliit po ng five percent talaga. Alam naman natin ang imported pork walang problema sa presyo…Bakit pa ibabagsak ang taripa tapos lalawakan ang MAV (minimum access volume)? Sobra sobra na yata ‘yon,” Marcos said.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar was grilled during the Senate hearing after attempting to justify his department’s proposal, saying the DA has programs in place to help local farmers.
He added that the tariff reduction was only meant to last for one year.
But Villar insisted that Filipino farmers would suffer if the proposal to cut tariff rates is passed.
The DA is also seeking to hike the MAV to 404,210 metric tons from the current 54,000 MT to augment pork supply in the country amid the rising prices.
The DA said a kilo of imported pork is priced at $3. However, Villar pointed out that it should only cost $1.65 based on the declared value by importers to the Bureau of Customs.
DA assistant secretary Noel Padre eventually admitted that the selling price of imported pork is at $2.65.
“Assuming $2.65, bakit niyo ginawang $3?…Why are we increasing the prices of imports? Bakit natin parang pinapaboran iyong importer? Di ba dapat inuuna natin ang interes ng mga kababayan? And interes ng gobyerno?” Sen. Kiko Pangilinan said.
Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines vice president Nicanor Briones believed the DA is favoring importers by giving them so many benefits yet local farmers are getting very low incentives.
Because of these recommendations, Briones said many hog farmers are getting discouraged to push through with their business.(CNN)
