Meat imports to further rise this year

The Philippines’ meat imports are expected to further increase this year as lower tariffs attract more foreign supplies to meet the country’s growing demand for cheaper meat products, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

- JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

The FAO projected that the country’s total meat imports this year would reach 1.09 million metric tons (MT), slightly higher than last year’s estimated volume of 1.045 million MT.

“The extension of reduced tariffs on pig meat until end-2024 and increased demand for poultry and bovine meats will likely cause imports to grow in the Philippines,” the international agency said in its recent biannual report on global food markets.