Livestock, poultry, and dairy (LPD) raisers in the Philippines may expect at least ₱15 billion (US$264.75 million) in funding support once the government passes a law that would earmark tariff collections for local industry development.
Agriculture officials disclosed that the possible tariff collections that would be earmarked for the livestock, poultry, and dairy competitiveness enhancement (LPD fund) under the proposed livestock bill would exceed the earlier estimated ₱7 billion (US$123.55 million) amount.
“The tariffs collected from livestock is even bigger than what we thought it was. We are looking at ₱15 billion (US$264.75 million) for the livestock sector,” Agriculture Undersecretary Asis Perez said.
“As we look at it more granularly, it would appear it is really more than ₱7 billion (US$123.55 million),” Perez added.
Legislators and executive officials are looking at utilising the tariffs collected from imported livestock, poultry, and dairy commodities to bankroll programmes that would help improve and develop the concerned domestic industries which have been heavily dependent on private sector investment for decades.
Under the proposed fund, the tariff collections will be used for various programmes such as repopulation, herd build-up, disease control, shared service facilities like slaughterhouses, food safety, animal support extension, and animal feed production.
“We will set a clear strategic direction for the LPD industry, strengthen the organisational structure and institutional capacity of relevant agencies, and ensure that adequate resources are provided to support the growth and competitiveness of the industry,” Senator Cynthia Villar earlier said.
The Philippine Senate has already passed its version of the bill, principally authored by Villar, last August.
The bill aims to ramp up government support for the three industries amid various production challenges from rising raw material costs to the spread of animal diseases such as bird flu and African swine fever.
The bill would set up development roadmaps for the three sectors and create the LPD fund, which will be in place for the next 10 years. The LPD fund was patterned after the rice competitiveness enhancement fund that was created by Republic Act 11203.
However, the version of the bill passed by the Senate has stipulated that the LPD fund must not exceed ₱7.8 billion (US$137.73 million), which was based on earlier tariff collection estimates.
Lawmakers and industry players are hoping that the bill would be passed into law before the end of the year so that the beneficiaries, especially small-hold farm raisers, would get much-needed support to thrive amid recurring animal disease outbreaks.
There are already counterpart bills filed at the House of Representatives but are still pending at the committee level.
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