Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar admitted Monday, May 10 that the agency "can't please everyone" even as he noted the huge challenges that the local hog industry has faced as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the African Swine Flu (ASF) problem.
"On the side, we also get our fair share of criticisms and unfounded allegations regarding our actions and decisions in our effort to address these concerns, notably on the issue of pork importation meant to immediately curb the rising pork prices and rising meat inflation for the benefit of some 100 million Filipinos," Dar said drug the kickoff of the Farmers and Fisherfolks' Month celebration.
"We really can’t please everyone," he said, adding that it's "unfortunate that some sectors fail to appreciate and understand the tough balancing act we at DA and my fellow economic managers must make".
Dar said this has to do with " price stability and food security while protecting local industries, especially during the ongoing pandemic".
The economic team recently reached a compromise with the Senate on the levels of pork import tariff rates and minimum access volume (MAV).
Dar said they recommended that the tariff rates in Executive Order (EO) 128 be adjusted to 10 percent in-quota and 20 percent for out-quota for the first three months; and 15 percent in-quota and 25 percent for out-quota for the remaining nine months.
Both the economic team and the Senate also agreed that the MAV be reduced from 404,000 metric tons (MT) to 254,210 MT.
The agriculture chief reckoned that with these two measures, they would be able to reduce prices by about 23 percent or more, and at the same time tame inflation.
Dar further said that the silver lining in all of this is the "renewed recognition of the vital and critical role of agriculture and the Filipino farmer and fisherfolk in our never-ending mission on food security and in leading the economy towards faster economic recovery under the so-called new normal." "We believe that the agriculture sector is one key pillar in the economic recovery of the country," he stressed.