Despite ongoing challenges in the livestock industry, pork prices in wet markets across Eastern Visayas remain within the suggested retail price (SRP).
Based on regular monitoring, pork prices have yet to exceed ₱380 per kilo, even as the region faces a declining number of hog raisers.
Many have scaled back operations due to concerns over African swine fever (ASF) and the rising cost of feed, which has made hog farming less sustainable.
Lingering impact
Leyte and Southern Leyte continues to be on the Bureau of Animal Industry's (BAI) list of active ASF areas.
With local supply running low, the region now relies on Mindanao and other provinces to meet pork demand.
Francisco Rosaroso, chief of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division DA Region 8, admitted the impact of pork being sourced from other regions, as importing from outside has been among the reasons cited for price hikes.
However, he noted that vendors in wet markets have largely kept their prices within the recommended range, despite the absence of a mandated price cap.
Inflation and market trends
Pork continues to be a basic staple in the Filipino households, but its cost depends on where it is purchased. Supermarkets and hypermarkets tend to price pork higher due to added operational costs, making wet markets a more affordable option for most consumers.
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that the February 2025 inflation rate of meat and slaughtered animal products stood at 3.9 percent, a steep climb from 1.1 percent in January.
This indicates the economic strain that both suppliers and consumers are currently going through.
Government’s response and future outlook
To address ASF and price instability, the Department of Agriculture still maintains strict border checkpoints and government-regulated vaccination programs to prevent the further transmission of the disease.
Authorities are also keeping a close watch on the hog production facility and supply chain prices from farm gate to retail to ensure that pork will still be affordable and reasonably priced for consumers.
While the industry navigates these issues, the consistent pork prices at wet markets provide relief for consumers, and demonstrate that the measures to stabilize the supply chain are helping cost under control—at least for now.
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