MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) should only allow increased importation of pork as “a last resort” to offset the shortage of local pork due to an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri stressed during a Senate Committee of the Whole hearing held on Monday.
The Senate conducted the hearing in the light of the recently signed Executive Order No. 128, which reduces pork import tariffs from 40% to 5%, according to a statement issued by Zubiri’s office.
As the DA had endorsed the order, Zubiri questioned Agriculture Secretary William Dar during the hearing about the “unabated importation of choice cuts for local consum…
Keep on reading: Importation should only be ‘last resort’ in solving pork shortage – Zubiri