Philippines bans pork imports for 60 days; country is Brazil's biggest customer

The suspension, which affects all countries, was adopted after the Philippine government pointed out that the increase in imports has harmed local producers.

The Philippines is the main destination for national pork. Between January and September this year, the country accounted for around 22% of the value exported by Brazil, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture.

The measure covers nine categories of pork products, including fresh, chilled and frozen meat and edible offal. According to consultancy Safras & Mercado, these categories include practically all pork shipped from Brazil to the Philippines, such as frozen cuts, bone-in cuts and offal.

"In practice, the restriction closes the Philippine market for fresh Brazilian pork for at least two months", says Safras consultant, Fernando Henrique Iglesias.

According to Safras & Mercados, there may be a rush to release cargo before the restriction begins. There is also a risk of ships arriving in the Philippines when the measure is already in effect, because the order does not explain what will happen to the goods that are already on the way. This issue still needs to be clarified by Philippine customs.

The pork that would be sold to the Philippines could be sent to other markets in Asia and Latin America, says Iglesias. With more products available in these countries, competition may increase and export prices may fall, especially for offal and pork belly.

During this period, the Philippine Tariff Commission will conduct an investigation to decide whether it will be necessary to adopt a permanent restriction, says Iglesias. "Possible measures include charging an additional tariff and creating a limit on the amount of pork imported."