The Philippines is grappling with a severe animal protein shortage, with pork imports accounting for 23% of its consumption. The situation is worsening due to the African Swine Fever epidemic, which has led to the culling of over 400,000 pigs since 2019. To mitigate this, the country plans to increase pork imports to 400,000 tons from the current 30%, with an additional 200,000 tons to be imported tariff-free until June. The tariff for imports exceeding this limit will be 15% instead of the usual 40%. The decision to allow imports only from ASF-free countries has been well-received, especially by the United States, the leading pork exporter to the Philippines.