5 tons of ‘illegal pork’ seized at Bacolod port

BACOLOD City – Five tons of undocumented pork products valued at around P500,000 was seized at the Bacolod Real Estate and Development Corporation (Bredco) port.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, who chairs the Provincial African Swine Fever Task force, checked the items on Wednesday together with the staff of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), led by co-chair Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena and personnel from the National Meat Inspection Service.

Decena said the seized items have been transported from Cebu and supposed to be shipped to Iloilo through Bredco port at the reclamation area here.

“These are undocumented products so these will be confiscated, destroyed and buried two meters deep,” Decena added.

He said the PVO contacted the consignee, who claimed to have forgotten to process the necessary permits and other documents.

The pork products, which came from Germany, were intended for the manufacture of chorizo.

Dr. Ryan Janoya, head of PVO Animal Health and Meat Inspection Services Division, said although Germany was not confirmed to have been infected by the ASF virus, pork products from the said European country are banned in the Philippines.

“Germany is situated near Poland, which is said to be ASF-infected,” he added.

Meanwhile, the ASF task force, in Resolution 19-04 dated Sept. 10, recommended to the Provincial Board to temporarily ban pork and pork products originating from Luzon – processed or manufactured – from entering Negros Occidental for a period of 90 days.

In Resolution No. 19-03, the body also urged operators and owners of hotels, resorts, and restaurants in the province to refrain from disposing of food wastes/leftovers to be used for swill feeding.

On Tuesday, Lacson appealed to travelers not to bring pork to Negros Occidental in the wake of the confirmed cases of ASF in Luzon.

According to the Department of Agriculture, ASF caused the depopulation of more than 7,000 hogs in Bulacan and Rizal farms last month.

The governor formed the ASF task force to ensure the protection of the P6-billion swine industry of Negros Occidental, which is the country’s top backyard swine producer. (With a report from PNA/PN)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here