Philippine meat imports rise sharply in 2004 - PHILIPPINES - The Philippines' meat imports rose significantly in 2004 compared to 2003 with beef jumping by 32.86 percent to 55,430 metric tons and carabao meat by 16.41 percent to 60,060 MT.

According to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Veterinary Quarantine Service (NVQS), the country's imports for other meat products also swelled. This includes a 22.45 percent increase for pork to 55,570 tons; poultry, up by 26.4 percent to 29,670 tons; processed meat, up by 23 percent to 11,280 tons; and egg, up by 27 percent to 600 tons.

The increase in imports was observed amid a declining livestock production from local sources. Hog production, for one, dropped to 1.722 million tons, down by 0.69 percent from the previous year's 1.734 million tons. Cattle production also declined to 255,960 tons, down by 0.95 percent from 258,420 tons in 2003.

The country also imported processed meat products which also rose by 22.9 percent from January to September 2004 to 11.278 million kilos from 9.170 million kilos in 2003. The biggest among the meat product imports were luncheon meat, 8.034 million kilos; followed by corned beef, 1.632 million kilos; canned meat, 5.615 million kilos; then sausages, 683,410 kilos; and shortening, 563,760 kilos.

Other processed meat product imports were ham, 130,350 kg; powdered chicken, 48,300 kg; patties, 10,540 kg; salami, 2,550 kg, and bacon, 1,270 kg.

The imports were despite a significant growth in the value of local livestock production which amounted to P145.65 billion, up by 27.01 percent from P114.680 billion.

Livestock takes up the biggest value among major classifications under farm production (the others are major crops including rice and corn and fisheries). Hogs for one, represents 15.14 percent of total value of agricultural production based on current value as of 2004 while chicken ate up 11.37 percent of total farm production. Chicken egg is the 11th biggest contributor to farm production at 2.06 percent while cattle is the 13th biggest contributor at 1.93 percent.

Source: eFeedLink - 17th February 2005