DA sets cap on landed cost of hogs transported to Metro Manila

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has put a price cap on the landed cost of hogs transported to Metro Manila via its transport support subsidy initiative, in a bid to stabilize pork prices. 

In his Memorandum Order No. 13, s. 2021, signed on February 9, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that the landed cost of hogs — transport subsidy plus farmgate price — shall be as follows:

• From Mindanao: P144 + P21 = P165 per kilo
• From Visayas, Bicol, MIMAROPA, and Regions I and II: P155 + P15 = P170 per kilo
• From Central Luzon and CALABARZON: P170 + P10 = P180 per kilo

Those entitled for transport subsidies are suppliers, sellers, raisers, or traders of hogs or whole pig carcasses with pre-arranged buyers in Metro Manila as certified by DA’s regional offices.

The hog raiser, seller, or trader may claim the DA’s transport subsidy by presenting a shipping permit, receipt issued by the carrier to the shipper, certification issued by the slaughterhouse in Metro Manila (in case of hogs), certification from cold storage in Metro Manila (in case of whole carcasses), and meat inspection certificate issued by the National Meat Inspection Service.

Prices of pork in Metro Manila wet markets shot up to as much as P420 per kilo for liempo, and P400 per kilo for pigue and kasim last month as supply ran low due to the African swine fever.

Apart from subsidizing the cost of transportation of hogs to be shipped from various parts of the country to Metro Manila, President Rodrigo Duterte imposed a price ceiling in the capital region for 60 days starting Monday, Feb. 8, upon the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture.

The price ceiling is P300 per kilo for liempo, P270 per kilo for kasim and pigue, and P160 per kilo for dressed chicken. —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News