BACOLOD City – Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson intends to prolong the 90-day ban on pork from Luzon should the threat of African swine fever (AFS) persists in the coming months.
“We’re continuously implementing the ban. If this problem will still continue after 90 days, we intend to continue this. This is now a move of most provinces, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao,” Lacson said.
Lacson noted that at present, even imported pork from countries not affected by ASF, such as Spain, will not be allowed to enter the province once it has passed through Manila’s ports.
“We already consider that as originating from (Luzon) – if the supply has passed through their warehouse in Manila. Their products should stay at the airport, then they can fly it to Bacolod. (It) should be certified that the products did not leave the airport area,” he said.
Lacson acknowledged that such a requirement may be unreasonable, but is intended to protect the province’s P6-billion swine industry. “We just have to be very strict,” he added.
Negros Occidental, the country’s number one backyard swine producer, has prohibited since September 11 the entry of pork from Luzon, which has confirmed cases of ASF.
The ban covers live pigs, pork, pork products, and by-products, whether fresh, processed or canned, which can carry the ASF virus.
The Provincial Task Force on ASF has already seized at least 500 kilogram of pork meat products at the Bacolod-Silay Airport since the start of the 90-day ban.
A total of 481 kilogram of banned, undocumented, and misdeclared pork products has been confiscated. Some were disposed of immediately while the rest were shipped back to the port of origin.
From Sept. 24 to 26 alone, about 473 kilogram of assorted pork products from Luzon were seized.
A total of 27 kilogram of pork asado siopao were intercepted and disposed of by the task force on September 21.
Some 8.5 kilogram of assorted pork products, misdeclared based on shipping documents, were confiscated at the airport on October 2. The shipment was returned to its point of origin. (With PNA/PN)
