The House Committee on Agriculture and Food heard testimony from farmers and food-industry groups questioning the basis of Executive Order 116, as reported by BusinessWorld . The order greatly increased the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork to 204,210 metric tons from 54,210 MT previously.
Witnesses told the panel that the surge in imported pork caused a sharp drop in farmgate prices, hurting local hog raisers. Industry groups argued that the increased MAV was not based on actual supply-demand data and called for a review of the policy to protect local producers.
The committee is expected to submit recommendations to address the impact of EO 116, including possible adjustments to import volumes or additional support for affected farmers. The hearing highlights ongoing tensions between trade liberalization measures and domestic agricultural competitiveness.