Philippine Hog Industry Faces Modernization Setback Amid AnCEF Delay

The National Federation of Hog Raisers has expressed concerns over the modernization plans for the livestock industry following the postponement of the Animal Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (AnCEF) release to 2028. The federation is urging the Department of Agriculture (DA) to "fight" for the prompt release of the fund. Federation Chairman Alfred Ng stated that Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. needs to grasp the bureaucratic processes required for the fund's release to facilitate the modernization of livestock-dependent industries. "We do not know how government works, but knowing that the National Government does not have the funds, it is (up to) our DA Secretary to fight for AnCEF so that all the plans to upgrade (the industry) will happen," Mr. Ng told BusinessWorld. The P20-billion AnCEF, funded by tariffs on imported animal products like meat, is designed to modernize the livestock sector. It is modeled after the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), which uses rice import tariffs to support domestic rice farmers' mechanization, access to quality seeds and farming know-how, and high-quality inputs. Secretary Laurel explained that the delay in the AnCEF rollout, originally slated for next year, was due to the necessity of completing regulatory requirements set by the Budget department. Mr. Ng noted that P1.6 billion in funding is currently available for the swine repopulation program, which could be utilized to help the hog industry navigate the delay. However, he cautioned that repopulation might not be ultimately beneficial if imports are not controlled. "The industry hopes the policies set will not be contradictory," Mr. Ng added. During the DA's budget hearing at the House of Representatives last week, Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations Asis G. Perez estimated tariff collections from imported animal products at approximately P22 billion annually.