Stable meat prices sustained

In a recent meeting of the National Task Force on Price and Volume Watch, prices of meat and other meat products are found to be steady. Pork prices, on a per kilo basis, range from P61 (liveweight), P82 (carcass weight) and P108 (liempo). Liveweight beef prices vary from P53.50 (backyard) and P69 (commercial). For chicken, the prices are somewhere around P78.

Year-end production of egg is expected to reach 6.7 billion eggs and hog production is expected to reach 22,385 heads. Total volume of imported meat and meat products recorded 123,189 metric tons up to October this year.

The task force–headed by Dr. Jose Molina, director of the Bureau of the Animal Industry as national chairman–is the lead agency in the implementation of the National Livestock Industry Competitiveness Program

The National Task Force on Price and Volume Watch which highlights the new concept of participatory governance has been initiated by the Department of Agriculture to maximize effectiveness and productivity in livestock enterprises. It is composed of eight government agencies and 12 private industry associations.

Government agencies involved in the program are Livestock Development Council (LDC); National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC); Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS); National Food Authority (NFA); DA-Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS); Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); Bureau of Customs (BOC); Public Attorney’s Office and all regional directors.

Among those lending important support to the task force from the private sector are Ms. Soledad Agbayani of the Philippine Association of Hog Farmers Inc.(PAHRI); Nemesio Co and Gabby Uy of the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI); Atty. Roberto Montalvan of the Federation of Cattle Raisers Association of the Philippines (FCRAP); Francisco Buencamino of the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc (PAMPI); Gregorio San Diego of the United Broilers and Raisers Associations (UBRA); and Jess Cham of the Meat Importers and Traders Associations (MITA).

Other private business organizations involved in the task force are Philippine Associations of Broiler Integrators (PABI); Philippine Swine and Poultry Associations (PSPA); Cattle Feedlot Association of the Philippines (CFAP); National Market Vendors Confederation of Cooperatives (NAMVESCCO); Philippine Association of Supermarket Inc. (PASI); Philippine Association of Feedmillers Inc (PAFMI); Agriculture and Food Suppliers Association (AFSA); Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association (PAGASA); and the National Federation of Egg Producers of the Philippines (NFEPP)-Egg Board.

he role of the National Task Force on Price and Volume Watch is vital to the development of the livestock and poultry sub-sectors:

T 1) Serve as the principal intelligence network that will adopt dynamic schemes to identify livestock and meat smugglers.

2) Monitor closely the demand and supply counterbalance, movement of supplies and prices from farm gate to retail markets, grounds for importing meat products, particularly, suspected disease carriers.

3) Formulate situational analysis and adopt measures that will alleviate any volume gaps or sudden price surges.

4) Serve as venue in the discussion of urgent industry issues and concerns that will enhance participatory governance and transparency of information.

5) Integrate relevant information and dissemination to the private sector and industry associations for effective decision-making.

6) Develop and implement programs that enhance the predictability of production and consumption, supply and demand of livestock, poultry and other meat products and allied commodities.

7) Provide recommendations to the secretary of the Department of Agriculture for major policy decisions and implementation guidelines.