Philippines opens to meat imports from Brazil, Chile

Meat processors in the two South American states have been authorized to export a range of meats to the Philippines, while accreditation has been extended for imports of pork and beef from Spain.

(badboo | Bigstock.com)
(badboo | Bigstock.com)

Selected operations in Brazil and Chile have been cleared by the government of the Philippines to export meat to the Southeast Asian state.

In Brazil, 24 additional processing facilities have been accredited to export poultry meat, pork and beef, reports PhilStar. Poultry and pig meats from six plants will be shipped from Chile.

Animal health status, quarantine procedures, and meat inspection systems in both exporting countries meet the standards required by the Philippines, according to Agriculture Secretary William Dar. Authorization is valid until April of 2023.

Cuts covered by the latest agreement have been specified, and vary by origin. Under the agreement, Brazil will supply pork, chicken, turkey, and beef (except from the head and neck). Products imported from Chile will include pig carcasses, turkey meat, and offal.

In 2019, Brazil achieved a record in terms of global pork exports. This upward trend continued into this year, according to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein. For the first four months of 2020, the volume was up 28% year-on-year at 280,000 metric tons (mt). The same source reports expansion of over 5% in exports of poultry meat to 1.365 million metric tons for the January-April period.

Continued trade in meat from Spain

Just last month, the Philippines’ authorities renewed accreditation for imports of pork and beef from Spain, reported Business Mirror. Valid until May of 2023, the latest authorizations cover pig carcasses and half-carcasses, hams, shoulders, pork cuts, and offal (including liver), as well as various beef cuts and offals.

At more than 122,500mt, Spain was the leading exporter of pig meat products to the Philippines last year, accounted for around 36% of traded volume.

Fewer broilers, more pigs in the Philippines

In recent months, animal agriculture in the Philippines has been adversely impacted by serious diseases. Significant losses have been reported, particularly among pigs from African swine fever, as well as from avian influenza in poultry. Neither disease is yet under control.

Already by the end of last year, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) was reporting overall meat poultry numbers down by 4.3%. For broilers, the inventory was down 12% year-on-year, and there were 3.2% fewer native chickens.

Cattle numbers were slightly higher than 12 months previously. However, African swine fever was already impacting on the number of backyard pigs, which were down by 2.4%. With the total number of commercial pigs up by 6.2% year-on-year, there is some evidence that this sector had largely avoided the disease.

Government response to COVID-19

In mid-May, the Department of Agriculture (DA) proposed three interventions aimed at reviving the country’s agriculture and fisheries sectors following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Key targets for these stimulatory measures focused not on livestock and poultry production, but on rice cultivation, and support for food market structure and the income of rural people.

Commenting on the 66-billion peso (PHP; US$1.3 billion) stimulus package, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that the agri-fishery sector plays a key role in mitigating the effects of the pandemic on food production, market access, and rural employment.

First steps by the DA have been with large agri-food companies, urging them to form partnerships with smaller businesses for mutual benefit.

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