The country’s pork inventory for the week ending January 26 nearly doubled to 18,771.34 metric tons (MT) from 9,770.48 MT recorded a year ago, according to figures released by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).
Data from NMIS, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), showed that imported pork made up the bulk of total pork inventory as of January 26. Pork from other countries in local cold storages reached 15,537.72 MT.
The inventory of imported pork in cold storages for the period was 61 percent higher than the 9,610.4 MT recorded on January 27, 2014.
On a weekly basis, inventory of imported pork was also 38.8 percent higher than the 11,189.73 MT recorded on January 19. Total pork inventory as of January 19 reached 12,711.47 MT.
Meanwhile, NMIS figures showed that the inventory of dressed chicken in cold storages rose 2.38 percent to 13,066.5 MT as of January 26 from 12,761.97 MT posted a year ago.
Data from the agency showed that imported dressed chicken reached 6,161.07 MT, or 41 percent higher than the 4,348.72 recorded on January 22, 2014.
On a weekly basis, however, the inventory of dressed chicken in cold storages declined by 38 percent to 21,132.61 MT. Local chicken made up the bulk of the inventory the previous week at 12,902.28 MT.
Local traders bring in imported chicken and pork under the so-called minimum access volume (MAV) under the World Trade Organization.
The NMIS data, however, did not indicate the volume of meat products that were brought into the country under the MAV scheme.
Importers may bring in imported pork at lower tariffs under the MAV scheme. For pork, the in-quota rate is at 30 percent, while the out-quota tariff rate is 40 percent. The quota for pork is 54,210 MT.