The Department of Agriculture (DA) says updated rules for the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme for pork imports will likely be released before the end of November.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the overhaul aims to break the concentration of MAV allocations, which he said has allowed a few large importers to control about 70% of the quota — and, in effect, influence market prices.
Under the current setup, pork imported under the MAV quota is charged a 15 percent tariff, lower than the regular 25 percent.
Public consultations on the revised policy wrapped up last week. The DA expects the new rules to encourage more competition among importers and help bring down pork prices.
The review began after the agency found that of 130 MAV holders, 47 controlled 80 percent of the allocation, with 22 of them cornering 70 percent of the total volume. The current MAV allocation stands at 55,000 metric tons, with 30,000 MT reserved for meat processors.
As of Nov. 25, DA market monitoring showed pork ham priced at ₱285–₱390 per kilo, pork belly at ₱320–₱470, frozen kasim at ₱210–₱300, and frozen liempo at ₱290–₱350.
