Legislators doubt Agri dept’s pork-import plan

Lawmakers on Tuesday expressed doubts about the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) plan to import more pork to stabilize the food commodity’s limited supply and escalating prices, citing the country’s experience with inbound shipments of rice.

During a House Committee on Agriculture and Food hearing, representatives Argel Cabatbat and Stella Quimbo of Magsasaka party-list and Marikina City, respectively, voiced worry that the plan’s outcome could be similar to that of Republic Act 11203, or the “Rice Tariffication Law,” which was signed in February 2019.