There is no price limit for lechon; There’s a surplus of pigs on the resume

The Ministry of Agriculture does not see the need to impose a price cap on lechon this festive season, regardless of the impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) or fluctuations in the supply of pigs.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel Jr. said high demand for pork during the holiday season and reduced supply due to ASF are not sufficient reasons to impose a price cap on pork, especially fried pork (lechon).

Secretary Laurel emphasized that lechon is considered a luxury item, not a necessity, and that price controls should not be enforced as it is more of a pleasure than a necessity product.

While prices are expected to rise “minimally” due to peak holiday demand, Laurel assured that the country’s pork supply remains stable.

“I don’t think it will be a big increase. I think it will only be a slight increase,” he said.

A price cap is a regulatory mechanism that sets a maximum price for a good or service, usually set by government agencies to protect consumers from excessive prices, ensure fairness, and prevent monopolistic practices.

Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative President Jonathan Young affirmed that pork prices in the region are dictated by “free market forces” and cannot be easily controlled or capped by authorities.

“The price is always dictated by the forces of the free market, whether it goes up or down,” Young said, explaining that pork prices fluctuate based on supply and demand. He also pointed to the challenges of regulating pork prices, especially given the large and unregulated informal pig market.

“It is impossible to put a price cap on such a large informal market,” he added, noting that many transactions take place outside formal channels.

Excess supply

According to Young, Central Visayas currently has a surplus of pigs sufficient to meet the region’s demand this holiday season despite the ongoing threat of African Swine Fever (ASF).

“Yes, we have a surplus of pigs in Cebu,” Young confirmed when asked about the region’s pig supply.

By the way, the province of Cebu recently relaxed the rules for transporting pigs. The province decided to waive the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) requirement for a permit to transport pigs following complaints from pig traders in Negros Island who alleged that the BAI had not issued permits to import pigs into Cebu for nearly two years.

Pig traders transporting pigs to Cebu will now only need a veterinary certificate, a livestock permit and a rapid ASF test for the pigs being shipped.

Meanwhile, Chester Tan, chairman of the National Pork Federation, assured the public of stable pork supplies during the holiday season.

“We assure the public that we will have enough pork for the upcoming December season, even for lechoneros (roast pig sellers). There are enough offers,” Tan said in a separate interview.

Tan mentioned that hog farmers have been coordinating with the DA for months to prepare for holiday demand.

Secretary Laurel also emphasized the role of pork imports in increasing the country’s supply. “In fact, I was looking at the import data the other day, and it shows that pork imports this year are 10 percent higher than last year,” he noted.

According to the DA Trade System, as of September 30, more than 517.86 million kilograms of imported pork had entered the country since January.

Solving ASF problems

The Ministry of Agriculture continues to increase efforts to mitigate the impact of ASF on the livestock sector. These efforts include government-supervised vaccination campaigns and stricter biosecurity protocols, such as the establishment of inspection posts in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.

However, ASF remains a problem in some areas. According to the Bureau of Livestock, 465 barangays in the Cordillera region, Ilocos, Calabarzon, MIMAROPA, Bicol and Soxxsargen are still classified as red zones, indicating active cases of ASF. / VLOOKUP