Meat imports up 3.25% in August

THE Philippines imported a total of 115.11 million kilograms (kg) of meat last month, data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed.

Based on the report from DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the August import volume was 3.25 percent higher than the previous month’s 111.47 million kg.

However, the latest volume was 1.54 percent lower than the 116.91 million kg recorded during the same month last year.

Imported meat volume for January to August 2023 was recorded at 817.35 million kg.

In August, pork accounted for the biggest share in imports at 59.12 million kg or 51.36 percent of the total. This figure is lower by 2.29 percent from the 60.5 million kg logged in July.

Chicken followed with 40.14 million kg, 9.8 percent higher than the 36.55 million kg posted the previous month. Chicken imports ranked second with a 34.87-percent share in the country’s total meat import.

Imported beef was at 13.93 million kg or 12.1 percent of total meat imports during the month.

The country also imported about 1.73 million kg of buffalo in the same month, 23.45 percent lower than 2.26 million kg posted a month earlier.

Duck imports also decreased by 7.29 percent to 31,539 kg from the previous month’s 34,420 kg.

Meanwhile, monthly imports of lamb meat went up by 24.09 percent to 78,169 kg from 62,993 kg posted the previous month.

Turkey imports also increased to 54,274 kg from July’s 1,500 kg.

According to BAI, Brazil was the biggest supplier of meat imports from January to August, contributing 263.02 million kg that accounted for 32.18 percent of the country’s total imported meat.

The United States and Spain followed, supplying the country with about 142.25 million kg and 102.40 million kg of meat imports, respectively.