President Duterte was urged Tuesday, Feb. 16, not to sign the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) proposal to increase pork importation, as small hog raisers fear that such a move would result in their bankruptcy.

In a statement, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) called on the President to stop the signing of the DA’s proposal to increase the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) of pork from 54,000 metric tons (MT) to 404,210 MT.

“More than 400,000 MT of pork imports will flood our local markets and deprive Filipino pork producers of sales,” said KMP National Chairperson Danilo Ramos.

“Sobra-sobra ang bolyum na ito, malulugi ang milyon-milyong maliliit na magbababoy sa bansa. Lalala lang ang krisis natin sa baboy dahil sa over-importation na ito (This volume is too much, millions of small pig farmers in the country will lose money. The pork crisis will only get worse due to over-importation),” he added.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the department’s proposal to increase the minimum allowed volume of pork imports this year, which seeks to augment local supply and stabilize prices, now only awaits the President’s signature.

The MAV is the volume of agricultural products allowed to be imported with lower tariffs. KMP said the current MAV on pork is at 54,000 MT.

“We are in a very crucial time, and our pork producers are in such vulnerable states, if the DA and the Duterte regime rely too much on importation now to unreliably lower prices, millions of small hog raisers are bound to go bankrupt and close permanently,” Ramos said.

“Only increased local production can sustainably lower pork prices,” he added.