The growing shortage of pork supply as a result of the African swine fever (ASF) has triggered a heated debate on the reduction of tariffs and the increase in the minimum access volume (MAV) in-quota (with lower tariffs) on imported pork proposed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). Both measures are envisaged by the government to plug the supply gap, check the rising pork prices, tame the inflation rate (as meat price is pushing up food inflation), and assist Filipino consumers who are reeling from the twin problems of diminishing income (as a result of rising unemployment) and spiking prices of food commodities.
The local hog raisers and their supporters, particularly in the Senate, are up in arms against the DA and NEDA proposals because they feel these will aggravate the suffering of the local hog industry. Their arguments against the proposals can be summarized as follows:
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