The Philippines in the first eleven months last year imported 1.12 billion kilograms of meat, 10.9 percent lower than 1.25 billion kilograms of the commodity in 2022, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Pork comprised the bulk of meat imports from January to November 2023 at 550.5 million kilograms or 49.4 percent of the total. This was also 17.1 percent lower than pork imports totaling 664.15 million kilograms in 2022.
Chicken meat followed with 393.29 million kilograms or 35.3 percent of meat imports for the period. This was 5.7 percent higher than only 372.04 million kilograms a year prior.
Beef imports totaled 134.4 million kilograms or 12.05 percent of all meat imports for the period. This was 21.7 percent lower than a year earlier when beef imports aggregated 171.6 million kilograms.
The BAI said the Philippines imported 35.66 million kilograms of buffalo meat, lower by 17.8 percent from 2022’s 43.37 million kilograms as turkey imports increased by 19.1 percent to 574,930 kilograms from 482,632 kilograms.
Lamb imports for the period went up 1.3 percent to 708,296 kilograms from the previous year’s 699,521 kilograms as duck meat imports jumped 110.3 percent to 281,333 kilograms this year from 133,801 kilograms in 2022.
