THE Philippines' meat imports from January to August totaled 907.77 million kilograms, up 11.06 percent from 817.35 million kg in the same period last year, according to data from the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Animal Industry .Pork accounted for 450.36 million kg or 49.6 percent of total imports, higher by 10.9 percent from the 405.9 million kg a year earlier.Next was chicken, which comprised 33.2 percent of total meat imports, tallied at 302.02 million kg, up by 4.
'However, while importers are squeezed, lower prices may not be passed on to the consumers. Other links in the value chain may keep the gains, especially since the market traditionally anticipates higher prices in the last quarter,' MITA president Emeritus Jesus Cham said.On the other hand, the Manila office of the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Services sees the Philippines producing more pork, chicken and beef this year as more investors come in.