Meat imports SPS validity extended until Dec 31

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File photo from the Department of Agriculture.
  • The Department of Agriculture temporarily lengthened the validity of meat sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances from 60 days to 90 days
  • Stakeholders requested the extension due to shipping and other logistics difficulties, including reduced supply of container vans, arising from the pandemic
  • The extension takes effect from August 10 to December 31, 2021

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has temporarily extended the validity of meat sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) from 60 days to 90 days.

The extension takes effect from August 10 to December 31, 2021, according to DA Administrative Order (DAO) No. 21 series of 2021, issued on August 10 and signed by Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

Stakeholders requested the extension due to shipping and other logistics difficulties, including reduced supply of container vans, arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, DAO 21-2021 noted.

Since last year, the pandemic has triggered supply chain issues globally such as container shortage, vessel space unavailability and port congestion.

Amid such difficulties, pork imports in the Philippines increased due to lower tariff on incoming swine meat shipments meant to address the African Swine Fever outbreak, and higher allowable import volumes.

READ: Pork imports swell to 76M kg following tariff cuts

EO 128, signed on April 7, reduced the most-favored nation (MFN) tariff rate on pork imports within the minimum access volume (MAV) to 5% and 15% outside MAV for the first three months of its effectivity. It was in effect from April 7 to May 14.

On May 15, EO 134 was signed and superseded EO 128. EO 134 adjusted the tariff on pork imports to 10% within the MAV or in-quota and 20% outside the MAV or out-quota for the first three months, and 15% for in-quota and 25% for out-quota from the fourth to the 12th month. Its one-year effectivity began on May 15, 2021.

EO 133, signed on May 10, increased the MAV for pork imports in 2021 from 54,210 metric tons to 254,210 MT, provided any unavailable balance at the end of 2021 will not be carried over to 2022.

Importers brought in 24.45 million kg of pork in April, another 36.5 million kg in May, and 15.14 million kg from June 1 to June 11, according to the Bureau of Customs.

The April 2021 shipments were 500% more than the April imports last year of 4.07 million kg, while those for May 2021 were 506% higher than imports in the same month in 2020 of 6.02 million kg.

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