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BEEF CATTLE INDUSTRY
The Philippine beef cattle industry is predominantly of the smallhold
or backyard type and traditionally led by the private sector Commercial
feedlot fattening operation emerged and proliferated on account
of the huge demand for meat and meat products. Three things accounted
for this great demand--the ever increasing human population, changing
eating habits of the Filipinos and import liberalization. It is
however, heavily dependent on the importation of feeder stocks coming
mostly from Australia. From 1990 to 1999, feeder cattle importation
totalled to 1,290,633 head as against that of breeder cattle importation
of only 54,560 head.
On the other hand, commercial ranches engaged in cattle raising
are steadily decreasing in number. This is largely due to a combination
of factors such as poor peace and order situation in production
areas, implementation of the comprehensive agrarian reform law,
land use conversion, lack of domestic source of quality stock, changing
policies on pasture lease, increasing input costs and poor herd
and pasture management among others. This scenario shrank the country’s
cow-calf operations both in number and production performance.
Nevertheless current trends in the livestock industry show that
the beef cattle sector has the biggest room for growth. The volume
of production has been increasing from 232.34 ('000 t) in 1996 to
271.24 ('000 t) in 1999. The total output in 1999 was valued at
P5.3 B. (October 2000)
Reports have indicated that the Philippines has a comparative advantage
in livestock products. Under the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT), the country could be a net supplier of livestock products
to emerging markets in East Asia if appropriate investments in the
sector are provided. The cattle industry lags behind other livestock
industries. The declining trend in cattle population is brought
about by unabated slaughtering of stocks (estimated at 450,000 head/year)
to meet the increasing demand for beef and beef products. The widespread
incidence of diseases e.g. homosep, tick fever, and FMD has contributed
to the decrease in inventory. Hence, an increased importation of
feeder stocks, breeders, and frozen beef products becomes the "stop-gap"
measure of the government.
Source: DOST-PCARRD
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