MEAT IMPORTS fell 9.37% year on year in the nine months to September, with shipments of beef, pork, buffalo, and turkey all declining, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) reported.
The BAI said imports amounted to 923.16 million kilograms (kg) during the period. In September the total was 105.81 million kg, down from 115.11 million in August and 166.69 million a year earlier.
Imports of beef fell 21.1% to 106.68 million kg for the period. This accounted for 11.56% of meat shipments.
The top beef supplier to the Philippines was Brazil with 40.64 million kg, followed by Australia with 30.88 million and Ireland 11.51 million.
Pork shipments dropped 12.68% from a year earlier to 458.7 million kg.
The top supplier of pork for the period was Spain, with 112.35 million kg, followed by Canada with 85.93 million and Brazil 78.24 million.
The Philippines also imported about 101,759 thousand kg of turkey meat and 2.35 million kg of buffalo meat; shipments decreased by 44.57% and 6.29%, respectively.
Chicken imports rose 18.27% to 324.98 million kg for the nine months. This accounted for 35.21% of meat shipments during the period.
Brazil supplied about 186.13 million kg, followed by the US with 116.98 million and Canada 10.91 million. — Adrian H. Halili
