New pork MAV rules to curb abuse

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is considering the amendment of the minimum access volume (MAV) for imported pork, whose rules were allegedly exploited by a few accredited exporters.

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Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said MAV rules, written in 1996, necessitate a revision to keep them in tune with the market’s needs today.

Pork imports under MAV have a lower tariff of 15 percent, compared to the regular rate of 25 percent.

Currently, MAV allocation totals 55,000 metric tons (MT), 30,000 MT of which are set aside for meat processors in a bid to ensure lower priced processed meat.