GOVERNMENT agencies are assuring the arrival of imported pork, chicken and onions beginning next week to fill in the gap in local production in anticipation of an increase in demand for the coming holiday season.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup said the arrival of some 4,000 metric tons of imported pork and 2,000 metric tons of imported chicken was expected within the week and government was looking at a plan to release suggested retail price ranges for both to prevent an unnecessary spike in prices.
Initiatives of local hog raisers involve transporting pork from Mindanao and importing some 15,000 to 20,000 metric tons of pork and 5,000 MT of chicken from countries like the United States, Canada and South Korea.
As for chicken, Salacup said poultry producers said they would bring in 5,000 MT from the US and Canada to augment domestic supply.
Domestic traders and importers are bringing in as much as 7,000 MT of white and red onions ease a seeming shortage in the local markets as well as in the supermarket shelves. Othel Campos
