DA cracks down on mislabeling of frozen meat

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has stepped up surveillance in supermarkets and wet markets nationwide to stop retailers from selling frozen meat as fresh, a practice officials warned poses food safety risks and harms legitimate sellers and local hog raisers.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered AMAS, the Bureau of Animal Industry, and the National Meat Inspection Service to enforce stricter inspections and ensure compliance with proper storage and labeling rules.

“Frozen meat must be properly labeled and stored. Retailers cannot pass off frozen products as fresh. Food safety and fair trade are non-negotiable,” Tiu Laurel said.

The DA said tighter monitoring seeks to protect consumers, promote transparency, and help stabilize the hog industry, which continues to suffer from low farmgate prices. Hog producers currently sell live hogs at ₱150 to ₱180 per kilo, well below the proposed minimum farmgate rate of ₱210 needed to avoid losses.

Despite cheaper farmgate pork, the retail price of liempo remains at around ₱400 per kilo, pointing to inefficiencies or unfair pricing in the supply chain, the DA added. The agency is studying the possible reimposition of a maximum suggested retail price on pork.

Industry groups—including SINAG, NFHFI, and PROPORK—echoed calls to restore pork import tariffs to 40% from the current 25% under EO 62, saying lower duties encourage over-importation and squeeze local producers.

The DA is also set to release an administrative circular reclassifying pork jowls to ensure proper tariff application amid rising demand from food processors and restaurants.