THE Philippines imported more meat from January to June, totaling 647.74 million kilograms (kg), up by 9.64 percent from 590.76 million kg in the same period in 2023, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported.

Data from the DA's Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed pork accounted for 48.9 percent of shipments at 316.99 million kg. This was higher by 10.7 percent from the previous 286.27 million kg.

Chicken was second at 34.2 percent worth 221.59 million kg, up by 4.12 percent from 212.8 million kg. Beef came in third with 29.29 percent at 84.9 million kg, up from the previous year's 65.67 million kg.

What went down were shipments of buffalo (23.09 million kg or 8.72-percent lower than the previous 25.3 million kg), lamb (327,379 kg or 22.4-decrease from 422,137 kg), and duck meat (85,855 kg or a 47.4-percent drop from 163,342 kg).

Brazil was the top meat supplier, shipping in 223.64 million kg or 34.5 percent of the country's total imported meat.

The United States and Spain followed, with about 95.06 million kg and 81.3 million kg of meat, respectively.

Others on the list were Canada (56.05 million kg), Australia (38.86 million kg), and the Netherlands (32.96 million kg).