The Philippines Pork import tariffs will be reduced and a quota for those imports will increase as the country seeks to address a shortfall in pork supplies caused by a sharp reduction in the countries hog herd due to African Swine Fever (ASF).
The order signed by President Rodrigo Duterte would see tariffs cut to 5% for three months from a current 30%, and it would rise to 10% during months four through 12. The tariffs would apply to imports under a quota of 404,210 metric tons -- a rise of 350,000 metric tons from a prior import quota of 54,210 metric tons.
For imports over the quota level, tariffs would drop from a current 40% to 15% for the first three months of the action and would rise to 20% for the remainder of the 12-month period covered by the order.
The National Pork Producers Association (NPPC) welcomed the move, noting it came after a meeting between the group and the Philippines ambassador to the U.S. “NPPC has been pressing both the U.S. and Philippines governments to lower pork import tariffs since ASF outbreaks began in the Philippines,” the group said in a release.
“Since 2019, the Philippines has been battling African swine fever (ASF), and as a result, domestic production has declined, supplies have tightened, and pork prices have spiked,” said NPPC President Jen Sorenson. “While we are saddened by the spread of ASF in the Philippines, we appreciate the opportunity to send more high-quality U.S. pork to ease the shortage and the spike in prices.”