• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
More than P42 million worth of pork meat and its by-products have been seized by the African swine fever (ASF) Task Force in the different ports of Negros Occidental and highly-urbanized Bacolod City in 2023.
While Negros Occidental is now ASF-free, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) is not taking chances as they continue to bar the entry of pork meat and related products from ASF-affected areas.
From January to December last year, PVO logged the confiscation of 20,376 kilos of pork and 53,000 boxes of pork products, with a total market value of P42,066,046.
Dr. Placeda Lemana, provincial veterinary officer, reported that majority of the confiscation was made at the Bredco Port in Bacolod City, where majority of the vessels docked.
The bulk of intercepted products were shipped back to their points of origin, she said. | GB
