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Importers urge Marcos to reduce pork tariff as global shortage looms

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A vendor tends to her stall selling pork and other meat products at the Paco Market in Manila on May 6, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/05/06/20210506-paco-market-pork-prices-jc-s.jpg"/><figcaption>A vendor tends to her stall selling pork and other meat products at the Paco Market in Manila on May 6, 2021. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA) on Thursday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cut pork import tariff in the next 5 years to ensure food security and cool down inflation.</p><p>A similar measure was also approved by former President Rodrigo Duterte to fill the gap when meat prices soared due to supply disruptions brought by the African swine fever. </p><p>&quot;The conditions that warranted the issuance of EO134 still exist today and in fact has gotten worse for the Philippines as well as for the global landscape,&quot; the group said in a statement.</p><p>Duterte issued <a href="https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2021/05may/20210515-EO-134-RRD.pdf" target="_blank">Executive Order 134 S2021</a> in 2021 which reduced the duty rates on pork. It was effective until December of that year. </p><p>&quot;Thus we appeal to Your Excellency to issue a new Executive Order and reinstate the import duty rates on pork of 5 percent in quota and 15 percent out quota for a duration of 5 years,&quot; MITA told Marcos.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/15/21/duterte-approves-temporary-tariff-rates-rice-imports-pork-imports-asf">Duterte temporarily slashes imported rice tariffs, &#x27;modifies&#x27; pork import tariffs</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/07/21/philippines-cuts-pork-tariffs-to-address-supply-shortage">Philippines cuts pork tariffs to address supply shortage</a></li></ul><p>The group stressed that ASF remains a risk to the domestic swine industry. It also said there is a 1 to 3 percent reduction in sow numbers in major pork producing regions in the world, including those in Europe and North America.</p><p>&quot;This is unprecedented and will result in a global reduction of pork supply and consequently, higher prices for a number of years,&quot; the group said.</p><p>This is on top of other inflationary headwinds such as rising grain, feed and transport costs, MITA said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/16/22/prices-soaring-everywhere-from-beans-in-brazil-to-pork-in-china">Prices soaring everywhere: from beans in Brazil to pork in China</a></li></ul><p>Reducing tariffs is an immediate solution while the country is strengthening its local agriculture to achieve food security, the group said.</p><p>Several countries such as New Zealand have reduced tariffs on pork, it added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/business/12/08/21/african-swine-fever-again-raising-pork-prices-group">African swine fever again causing rise in pork prices: group</a></li></ul><div><strong>— With a report from Michelle Ong, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1854964" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Meat Importers and Traders Association urged President Marcos to cut pork tariff to ensure food security and cool down inflation.