Increased hog and chicken production has helped ensure sufficient meat supply in Iloilo, with the higher availability of pork possibly contributing to lower prices, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Friday, Sept. 11.
PSA Iloilo Chief Statistical Specialist Jerry Dolutan said the province’s hog production rose 34.66 percent in the second quarter to 7,434.15 metric tons from 4,857.49 metric tons in the same period in 2025.
“For consumers, this is good news because when the price is lower, the purchasing power of the peso is higher,” Dolutan said in an interview.
Chicken production also increased 4.26 percent to 15,634.08 metric tons from 14,968 metric tons last year.
The increased meat supply coincided with lower prices in August. Meat and other food products recorded a negative 3.7 percent inflation rate in Iloilo province and negative 4.5 percent in Iloilo City, PSA data showed.
Fisheries production, however, declined sharply during the period.
Fishery output fell 33.17 percent to 9,780.69 metric tons in the second quarter from 13,024.54 metric tons in the same quarter last year.
Fish and other seafood recorded 1.7 percent inflation in the province in August, down from 6.8 percent in July. In Iloilo City, however, inflation for the commodity group rose to 8.2 percent from 6.3 percent.
Dolutan attributed the decline in fisheries production partly to inclement weather and higher fuel prices, which he said may have prevented fishers from going out to sea.PNA
