- MITCH M. LIPA
Members of the Alliance of Hog Raisers in Negros Occidental agreed to temporarily stop the shipment of live pigs to Metro Manila traders.
This was decided after AHRANO president Ric Lauron and Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena met with Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, where the move was seen as a solution to bring down the average price of pork products in the local markets.
Lauron said they would prefer to sell their products to traders in Negros Occidental to fill the demand for the local consumption.
“Having enough supply of live pigs in the local markets will force retailers to also bring down the prices,” Lauron said.
AHRANO has been sending two container vans of live pigs per week to Manila since the start of the year to meet the high demand in Luzon.
There is lack of pork meat supply in the National Capital Region because of the African swine fever outbreak in Luzon.
Lauron said that Manila traders offer attractive farmgate price per kilo for live pigs.
He added that Lacson committed to allocate P5 million for the enhancement of production of feeds supply for swine breeders.
AHRANO will prepare the requirements for the release of the budget for the project’s immediate implementation, he said.
Lauron said that they are also against the plan of some sectors to import live pigs to bring down the prices of pork meat in Metro Manila and other areas.
The move to import live pigs will ruin the country’s swine industry because of the possible entry of animals infected with ASF, he added.
Decena said the province will adhere to the plan of the national government to import live pigs, but still the rule of the provincial government is to support the local hog raisers. They will get support to boost their produce by introducing programs like the feed enhancement production and expansion of breeder base production capabilities, he added. – MML
