Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines Corp.’s (CPF) five-year, USD1 billion expansion plan will boost hog production and help restore the country’s swine population to pre-African Swine Fever levels by 2028, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said.
“This CPF expansion aligns perfectly with President Marcos Jr.’s vision of a zero-kilometer food system—producing food where it’s needed—and advancing agricultural investment to create jobs and ensure food security,” Secretary Tiu Laurel said. He also encouraged CPF to consider situating some facilities near major tourist hubs to help ease food costs.
Under the plan, presented by CPF officials led by Executive Vice President Sakol Cheewakoset, is evaluating nine locations nationwide for agro-industrial complexes, each covering roughly 20 hectares. Every site will feature feed production and hog processing facilities, with each complex costing about USD125 million to build. Feed plants are expected to produce around 10,000 tons per month, which would require corn output from 5,000 hectares.
CPF aims to raise its hog production capacity from 1.3 million heads currently to 7 million by 2030—4.8 million in Luzon, 1 million in the Visayas, and 1.2 million in Mindanao.
Since the first ASF outbreak in 2019, the national swine population has fallen from 13 million to around 8 million heads. The DA laid out a repopulation plan, which includes vaccination against ASF and distribution breeders, that aims to reach the pre-pandemic hog population within the next 3 years.
President Marcos recently signed the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act, which allocates roughly P20 billion annually over the next decade to develop the livestock, poultry, and dairy sectors, with nearly one-fifth of the funding earmarked for hog repopulation.
CPF’s plan signals a major push for the local pork industry, focusing on enhanced production capacity, farm modernization, and greater support for local pig farmers. Officials emphasized the investment would not only stabilize supply but also increase resilience against future disease outbreaks.
For the Department of Agriculture, the expansion represents a strategic partnership with the private sector to achieve long-term recovery and growth in the hog industry—a crucial pillar of the nation’s food supply and a key driver of rural employment.
