Marilyn Cahatol

Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel checks on the prices of basic goods at Mega Q. Mart in Cubao, Quezon City on Friday, December 5, 2025, as suggested retail prices (SRPs) for selected food items start to take effect. The move aims to ease price pressures ahead of the Christmas season. Secretary Laurel also advised the public to consider buying chicken instead of galunggong, citing tight fish supply as a factor behind rising prices. 

Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

FOOD PRICES

Mon Rodelas

ABS-CBN News

<p>QUEZON CITY — Agricultural stakeholders led by Rosendo So of the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) voiced strong opposition to the proposed reduction of tariffs on imported pork, chicken, and corn on Monday, warning of its potential harm to local producers.</p><p>The group submitted a formal statement to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., urging the government to prioritize the protection of domestic agriculture.</p><p>SINAG argued that lowering tariffs would further weaken farmers and raisers already burdened by rising fuel costs and increasing imports.</p><p>So highlighted the impact of higher oil prices on production, suggesting that government economic managers instead review fuel taxes such as VAT and excise tax to ease costs in the sector.</p><p>“Nakita ko ang January kasi pag nagpapasok tayo ng fuel, ang VAT na binabayad is P5 lang based yung P58 na diesel. Ngayon ang binabayad ng import is umaabot ng P15. So, dun pa lang dapat yung VAT difference may kukunin na dun, bawasan dun pwede e,” said So.</p><p>“So, ‘yun ang dapat na i-concentrate siguro ng economic team, hindi yung production na tinitingnan nila na mas mababa pa kesa last year yung presyo,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/4/8/farmers-abandon-harvests-as-fuel-costs-soar-farmgate-prices-crash-1221">Farmers abandon harvests as fuel costs soar, farmgate prices crash</a></div><p>He also pointed out the disparity between low farmgate prices and high retail prices, questioning the basis for the proposed tariff cuts.</p><p>“Last week ito yung survey natin. ‘Yung farmgate average ng pork is 190. Ang chicken last week averaged nasa 90. Tapos ang corn nasa 21. Pero ‘yung retail umaabot ng 370 tsaka 420,” So emphasized.</p><p>‘Yung farmgate ng baboy is 212. Tapos ang chicken nasa 122, e ngayon bumaba pa nga ‘yung farmgate tapos gusto nilang ibaba yung taripa. Hindi namin alam kung saan nila na-compute ‘yan, kung paano nila kinuha ‘yung gusto nila,” he added.    </p><p>Meanwhile, Bong Inciong, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said there is no data supporting the need to reduce tariffs, especially amid an oversupply in the poultry sector. He warned that such a move could constitute an abuse of executive discretion and may prompt legal action from stakeholders.</p><p>“Sa pananaw namin, walang justification, it would be a grave abuse of the executive discretion. At pag-aaralan namin kung papaano, ‘pagka ganon we will take legal action dahil unjustified e, unsupported by the data, unsupported by the facts yung proposal,” Inciong said.</p><p>The groups also called on the government to strengthen support for local producers through subsidies rather than relying heavily on imports. “Ang normal na asal dapat ng pamahalaan pagka ganyang may problema, pagtibayin mo ‘yung lokal, yung sarili mo, hindi ka kailangan masyadong mag-angkat,” Inciong added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/10/govt-readies-aid-as-el-ni-o-expected-to-raise-agriculture-costs-1529">Govt readies aid as El Niño expected to raise agriculture costs</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6QNCeIMtqWY?si=JEpSIl8aJQ2D0q8y" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Agricultural stakeholders led by Rosendo So of the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) voiced strong opposition to the proposed reduction of tariffs on imported pork, chicken, and corn, warning of its potential harm to local producers.</p>

Agricultural stakeholders led by Rosendo So of the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) voiced strong opposition to the proposed reduction of tariffs on imported pork, chicken, and corn, warning of its potential harm to local producers.

Agri groups oppose tariff cuts on pork, chicken, corn imports

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Agri groups oppose tariff cuts on pork, chicken, corn imports

Mon Rodelas,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 13, 2026 08:16 PM PHT

Read More:

Farmers

Farmgate price

Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura

tariff

domestic agriculture

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