CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office welcomed the additional P300 million credit funds for backyard and commercial hog raisers in areas free of the African swine fever.
“Whatever project or policy our national government extended to pig raisers is very much appreciated,” Provincial Veterinarian, Dr. Renante Decena, said.
“This will benefit the farmers we serve,” he added.
Decena said there are about 15,000 hog raisers in the province, and 6,700 backyard raisers have been registered as members of the Alliance of Hog Raisers Association of Negros Occidental.
The P300 million credit funds will be used for eligible swine projects in Green Zones, or ASF-Free Areas, particularly Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental, as well as regions 4B, 7, and 9.
This is on top of the initial P500 million credit funds for the implementation of the Agri-Negosyo (ANYO) Swine R3 program, or Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Repopulation, for ASF-affected and non-ASF-affected areas.
Department of Agriculture Region 6 director Remelyn Recoter said an orientation on the P300 million credit funds will be held for swine industry stakeholders in Negros Occidental today, Sept. 17.
Similar orientations were conducted in Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Guimaras Sept. 16, and in Iloilo.
Loans ranging from P300,000 to P15 million can be availed of by swine raisers.
Dr. Jonic Natividad, head of the ASF Task Force in Western Visayas, said in a virtual presser that backyard raisers should be registered with the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture for them to avail of loans and other support services from the government.
They should also enrol with the Philippine Crop Insurance System to ensure that they will be indemnified in case of disasters.
Meanwhile, the DA warned the public not to buy pigs or meat products online to avoid scams and illegal transactions and hogs with ASF.
Make sure to buy pigs from certified and trusted suppliers. Please report any illegal selling of pigs online for appropriate actions, the ASF Task Force added. – CGC
