Filipino Meat Processors open to buying mechanically deboned meat from local producers

The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) has recently announced that it is open to purchasing locally-produced mechanically deboned meat (MDM) from local poultry suppliers, once the facilities to manufacture these products are established.
PAMPI President Felix Tiukinhoy Jr. said, “We will buy all the MDM that local producers can provide so that we don’t have to import it anymore.”
MDM is the major raw material used in the production of canned meat and processed food products. PAMPI acknowledged the importance of canned meat products as a major source of food during the lockdown period.
Presently, meat processors imported MDM from various countries due to absence of local production. Almost 70% of the country’s poultry imports are MDM.
Earlier on, several interest groups criticise the importation of ingredients for meat processing used by PAMPI members to produce processed meat products. The government is willing to support the domestic industry to establish MDM plants that will create value-added products which are vital during this crisis.