DA Rolls Out ₱1-B Swine Distribution Plan to Rebuild Hog Population by 2028

To help restore the country’s hog population to its pre-African Swine Fever (ASF) level of 14 million heads, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is launching a ₱1-billion swine distribution program aimed at large-scale farms nationwide.

Under the initiative, 30,000 gilts will be distributed to commercial farms, which will in turn repay the DA by supplying reared pigs for redistribution to backyard farmers. The move is part of a broader three-year campaign to grow the current hog inventory—estimated at 8 million—by 75% by 2028.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. called on the swine industry to back the program, which is designed not just to boost livestock numbers but also to stabilize pork prices and improve supply chains.

In line with this, the DA has reached an agreement with industry stakeholders to reinforce compliance with the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork. These prices—₱380/kg for liempo, ₱350/kg for kasim and pigue, and ₱300/kg for trader-to-retailer pork—apply to wet markets in Metro Manila.

DA monitoring earlier found low compliance among pork vendors, with fewer than 10% adhering to MSRPs. Sellers cited limited product variety and the high cost of biosecurity as obstacles.

As of mid-April 2024, the average Metro Manila price for frozen kasim stood at ₱251.37/kg and frozen liempo at ₱313.94/kg.