MANILA—Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered stricter monitoring of supermarkets and wet markets to ensure proper handling and labeling of frozen meat, as the Department of Agriculture (DA) moves to protect both consumers and local producers.

Tiu Laurel directed the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), and National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) to conduct nationwide inspections to verify compliance with food safety and fair trade regulations.

“Frozen meat must be properly labeled and stored. Retailers cannot pass off frozen products as fresh. Food safety and fair trade are non-negotiable,” he said.

The directive comes as the DA, together with local hog producers, seeks to stabilize pork prices and support farmers struggling with declining farmgate rates. The agency and industry groups agreed on a minimum farmgate price of P210 per kilo for live hogs, up from the current P150–P180 per kilo, which producers say is below cost.

Tiu Laurel noted the disparity between farmgate and retail prices, saying, “Farmgate prices have dropped sharply, yet consumers haven’t felt any relief. This imbalance needs to be addressed.” He suggested reintroducing a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork.

Industry groups—including the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI), and Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PROPORK)—also urged the restoration of pork import tariffs to 40 percent from the current 25 percent under Executive Order 62, arguing that lower duties encouraged over-importation and hurt local producers.

The DA is also studying the implementation of an MSRP for pork and plans to issue an administrative circular reclassifying pork jowls, currently treated as offal with lower import tax, to apply higher tariffs amid rising demand from processors and restaurants.

“These measures aim to bring transparency to the meat market, protect consumers, and restore profitability for local hog raisers amid persistent price volatility,” the DA said.