Antique hog raisers could still barely recover their costs even if they sell at the provincial government’s newly imposed minimum farm-gate price of P170 per kilogram, underscoring the financial pressure faced by local livestock producers.

Antique Gov. Paolo Javier signed Executive Order No. 83, Series of 2026, setting the temporary price floor after more than 400 members of the Antique Livestock and Poultry Raisers’ Association (ALPRA) raised concerns over low buying prices and alleged price manipulation by traders and middlemen.

The raisers said prevailing farm-gate prices have made it increasingly difficult to recover the money they spend to raise their animals.

ALPRA data showed that raising a fattener to about 85 kilograms costs roughly P14,480, including piglets, feeds, vitamins, electricity and transportation.

At P170 per kilogram, an 85-kilogram hog would sell for about P14,450 still around P30 below the reported production cost.

The narrow margin illustrates the challenge facing raisers: even the provincial government’s temporary minimum price does not guarantee them a profit based on the association’s cost estimates.

Still, the provincial government said the price floor is intended to prevent raisers from being forced to accept even lower prices.

Under the executive order, buyers are prohibited from purchasing live hogs below P170 per kilogram.

The order also prohibits price manipulation, agreements among buyers intended to drive down farm-gate prices, and the use of uncalibrated or tampered weighing scales.

Other buying practices considered detrimental to hog raisers are likewise prohibited.

For raisers, the measure provides a safeguard at the point where production costs meet the prices offered by buyers.

The provincial government said the temporary intervention seeks to protect local hog producers as they contend with increasing production expenses and weak farm-gate prices.

The bigger challenge, however, remains whether the minimum price can give raisers enough room to sustain their operations not merely prevent them from selling at a loss.

With production costs already reaching about P14,480 for an 85-kilogram hog, even a P170-per-kilogram selling price leaves little room for unexpected expenses, animal losses or changes in input costs.IMT