Senator Cynthia A. Villar and local hog raisers on Tuesday questioned the plan of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to import 400,000 metric tons of pork.

This, as Villar, chairwoman of the Senate agriculture and food committee, criticized the DA for recommending to President Duterte that the DA be allowed to import 400,000 metric tons of pork this year.

During her public hearing, Villar cited a press statement released by Malacanang quoting President Duterte that the actual pork shortage is 84,000 metric tons.

In that same hearing, Rosendo So, president of Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura, for ‘’doctoring’’ data because the actual shortage figure is 150 million kilos or 150,000 metric tons.

DA Secretary William Dar vehemently denied such accusation, saying ‘’that is not acceptable to us.’’

‘’We have basis on MAV (minimum access volume),’’ Dar said, referring the allowable volume of pork to be imported.

According to the DA, there is a shortage of about 1.6 million tons of pork this year but the supply is only 1.23 million metric tons.

This means that there is a need to import 400,000 metric tons, the DA added.

Edwin Chen, president of Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines, said there is no need to adopt a DA recommendation that government reduces current tariff rates.

Chen said importers still make a profit without reducing the rates.

The supply of pork became acute because of the African Swine Fever (ASF).

A DA report to the Senate stated that ASF has affected 463 municipalities, 40 provinces, 12 region and 2,402 barangays while 68,382 hog farmers were affected.