Safeguard duties imposed on imported meat, coffee, onions

THE Department of Agriculture  said it imposed price-based special safeguard measures on 21 agricultural product categories, after import prices fell below established trigger levels.

In Department Order No. 15 Series of 2026, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. requested the Bureau of Customs to collect additional duties on frozen poultry, pork, coffee preparations, and fresh onions when their actual cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) prices breach trigger thresholds.

The measure is authorized under Republic Act No. 8800, which allows the Secretary of Agriculture to impose safeguard duties without investigation when actual import prices drop below trigger prices outlined in the World Trade Organization Agreement on Agriculture.

Additional duties will equal the difference between the actual CIF price at the time of import document lodgment and the corresponding trigger price for each product.

Affected products include frozen chicken parts, with trigger prices ranging from P93.96 to P423.55 per kilogram, various pork products (P79.63 to P305.73), and coffee products (P134.11 to P203.74). The fresh onion trigger price is P74.21 per kilogram.

The order, issued on the strength of findings by the Trade Remedies Office of the Policy Research Service, takes effect immediately and revokes Department Order No. 20 Series of 2024 and Department Order No. 5 Series of 2026. — Pierce Oel A. Montalvo