The Department of Agriculture (DA) has imposed a pork import ban for 60 days under Department Order No. 33, issued on November 7, as part of safeguard measures aimed at protecting the country’s agricultural sector.
The temporary restriction covers imported fresh, chilled, and frozen swine carcasses and half-carcasses, bone-in hams and shoulders, other bone-in pork cuts, as well as fresh, chilled, and frozen edible offal and liver.
According to the DA, the measure was implemented to protect the local hog industry, which has reportedly suffered losses amounting to ₱28 billion due to the continued influx of low-priced imported pork and declining farmgate prices.
The agency said the policy seeks to provide a fairer competitive environment for local hog raisers who have struggled to match the prices of imported pork products in the domestic market.
Agriculture officials also emphasized that the move is intended to mitigate the impact of market competition between locally produced pork and imported goods while supporting the recovery of the livestock sector.
The import restriction will take effect 15 days after the official publication of the order in a newspaper of general circulation.
The DA said the order will also be transmitted to the Bureau of Customs to facilitate the issuance and implementation of the necessary customs and regulatory guidelines.
As a follow-up measure, the department assured stakeholders that it will also pursue higher tariffs on imported pork products to further strengthen protection for domestic producers.
The agency expressed confidence that the policy will help stabilize the local hog industry while encouraging increased investment in domestic pork production.
The pork industry continues to face challenges from the lingering effects of African Swine Fever (ASF), which significantly reduced the country’s swine population in recent years and affected the livelihoods of thousands of backyard and commercial hog raisers.
Industry groups have repeatedly urged the government to review import policies, arguing that lower tariff rates and increased pork imports have placed additional pressure on domestic producers already coping with disease outbreaks and rising production costs.
Government data and industry reports have shown that imported pork remains a major component of the country’s meat supply strategy to help manage inflation and stabilize consumer prices, resulting in ongoing debates between consumer protection objectives and support for local farmers.
The DA’s latest move reflects broader efforts to balance food security concerns with the need to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the Philippine livestock sector.