BACOLOD City – The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) has expressed concern over the possible impact of increased pork importation on local hog raisers following the issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 116 by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr..
The order raises the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) allocation for pork imports under Republic Act No. 8178, or the Agricultural Tariffication Act, a move that business leaders fear could further weaken the domestic swine industry.
Frank Carbon, MBCCI vice president for government affairs, warned that the local hog industry could suffer the same fate as the sugar sector, which he said has been adversely affected by excessive importation.
“The hog and swine industry may follow the same debacle experienced by the sugar industry because of excessive importation of cheap or dumped products from the world market,” Carbon said.
He noted that the influx of cheaper imported pork could drive down local pork prices, resulting in substantial losses for hog raisers while benefiting large-scale importers, food processors, and wholesalers.
“The prices of pork meat in the local market may continue to fall, causing tremendous losses for local hog raisers while generating huge profits for pork importers and billionaire food processors,” he added.
Carbon said several major pork-producing countries are currently experiencing oversupply, particularly China and parts of Europe.
China, the world’s largest producer and consumer of pork, has reportedly seen hog prices plunge following the rapid expansion of its swine population after recovery efforts from African Swine Fever (ASF). In some areas, pork prices have fallen below production costs because of weak demand and excess supply.
European producers are likewise facing declining prices amid increased production and slowing consumer demand.
While the United States pork market remains relatively stable, Carbon said the global oversupply has enabled exporters to sell pork at significantly lower prices, creating intense competition for local producers in countries such as the Philippines.
He explained that although not all imported pork technically qualifies as “dumped” products under international trade rules, the influx of low-priced imports can still have a damaging effect on domestic producers.
According to Carbon, local hog raisers continue to grapple with high production costs, including expenses for animal feeds, electricity, transportation, biosecurity measures, and veterinary medicines.
He emphasized that many hog raisers in Negros Occidental are only beginning to recover from the effects of ASF, while others have yet to fully restore their operations.
Carbon urged the government and the Department of Agriculture to provide stronger support to local producers through subsidies for feeds, medicines, and piglets to help them remain competitive against cheaper imported pork products.
He also warned that Negros Island could face multiple economic challenges in the coming months, citing what he described as the “five economic demons” confronting the region in 2026.
These include the continuing crisis in the sugar industry, a looming ban on crab meat exports to the United States beginning in June 2026, the influx of cheap imported pork, rising fuel prices, and increasing electricity costs coupled with recurring rotational brownouts.
Carbon said the combined impact of these challenges could significantly affect food production, businesses, and consumers across the region if immediate interventions are not implemented./PN
