Senator Pangilinan seeks inquiry on falling hog, poultry farmgate prices

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has sought a Senate investigation into the falling farmgate prices and rising production costs in the livestock and poultry sectors which threaten their viability.

Pangilinan, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 726 on October 8 to identify legislative measures that would boost domestic production, protect the livelihoods of hog and poultry raisers, and maintain a stable supply of meat and other animal products.

The resolution came days after the senator backed hog raisers’ calls for higher farmgate prices and stricter controls on meat imports.

It directs the Senate agriculture committee to examine the state of the livestock and poultry industries, particularly the declining prices of hogs and broiler chickens amid rising feed and other production expenses.

“Resolved by the Senate, as it is hereby resolved, to direct the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the state of the Philippine livestock and poultry industries, with particular focus on the depressed farmgate prices of hogs and broiler chicken amid escalating feed and production costs,” the resolution read.

The measure also seeks to ensure “the viability of local producers, safeguarding rural livelihoods, and securing affordable and sustainable food supply for Filipino consumers.”

Citing Department of Agriculture (DA) reports, Pangilinan said farmgate prices of liveweight hogs had fallen to between P120 and P160 per kilogram in some areas, well below the P210-per-kilo minimum price agreed upon by the DA and hog industry groups.

These prices are also lower than the estimated production cost of P180 to P190 per kilo, resulting in losses estimated at P250 million daily for hog raisers, according to the resolution.

Poultry producers are experiencing similar difficulties, with broiler farmgate prices reportedly dropping to as low as P65 per kilo in major producing areas in April 2026, Pangilinan said.

Meanwhile, retail pork prices have not declined at the same pace as farmgate prices. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that fresh pork with bones averaged P295.58 per kilogram during the second phase of September 2026, down 9.6% from P327.03 per kilo a year earlier.

The resolution warned that prolonged low farmgate prices and high production costs could force producers, particularly small-scale and backyard raisers, to scale down operations or leave the industry altogether.

“Continuously depressed farmgate prices alongside high production costs may force hog and poultry raisers, especially small and backyard raisers, to reduce production or exit the industry altogether, thereby deepening the country’s dependence on imports and undermining long-term food security,” the resolution read.

Pangilinan’s legislative agenda has focused on agricultural reform and modernization, rural development, and measures aimed at strengthening the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk and improving the country’s food security.