Philippines: Pork shortage to strike in 2013

It is believed that in the second quarter of 2013, the Philippines will face a pork shortage due to big distributors currently hoarding corn.

Corn, used in pig feed, is being hoarded in Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines. The pork shortage could be 30% by April 2013, according to Rep. Nicanor Briones of Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines.

“The shortage will not yet be felt in December, but in April,” said Briones.

The Mindanao Grain Corp., one of the distributors, is the spotlight for corn hoarding and is being scrutinised, also the government is being urged to put an end to the practice of corn hoarding and import corn.

Briones stated that the Agriculture and Trade and Industry Departments has to inspect corn feed warehouses of traders and investigate those without corn farms or millers – as they could be hoarding corn feeds.

Corn costs up, higher price for pigs

“Despite harvest time, the cost of corn has gone up from P12 per kilo to P17 per kilo. We should have enough supply because it is harvest time. The price of corn went up because of hoarders,” Briones said.

Higher production cost has resulted in pig raisers selling off their pigs for a higher price, Briones sated.

“Consumers, 70% of the country’s backyard hog raisers and the 40 million agriculture farmers would have to bear the brunt of the impact of hoarding next year,” he added.