The Department of Agriculture (DA) is revising the 30-year-old minimum access volume (MAV) rule for pork to address growing concerns over unfair practices and market imbalances. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel revealed the overhaul during his speech at the 31st National Hog Convention in Pasay City, emphasizing the urgent need for reform.
The MAV, established in 1996, allows pork imports under a lower tariff of 15 percent, significantly less than the regular 25 percent rate. The quota allocation is currently set at 55,000 metric tons, with 30,000 MT reserved for meat processors to help lower the cost of processed pork products.
Secretary Laurel expressed concern over the concentration of quotas among a few large importers. “Out of 130 quota holders, 47 control 80 percent of the total MAV allocation, and 22 of them account for 70% of that volume,” he said. This concentration has led to misuse, with some importers reusing quotas and inflating import volumes, ultimately preventing consumers from benefiting from lower prices.
As part of the revisions, the DA plans to increase the allocation for meat processors to 40,000 metric tons, with the remainder set aside for the Food Terminals Inc. (FTI) to help stabilize pork prices in the market.
The DA has also introduced a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork—P380 per kilo for liempo, P350 per kilo for pigue and kasim, and P300 per kilo for fresh carcass—but compliance has been low.
The revised MAV rules are seen finalized by October, with the DA working to ensure fairer distribution of pork imports and improved price stability for consumers.
