Eat Pinoy pork!

ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2021, I had the privilege of guesting and engaging President Clinton Edward Ang (first guest) of the South Cotabato Swine Producers Association or SOCOSPA and the Chairman and President of the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) Chester Warren Tan (second guest) on my radio talk show, Woman Talk with Belinda Sales Canlas, over 98.3 Home Radio General Santos and aired via FB Live.

According to Ang, during this time of pandemic, the region’s challenges include the African Swine Fever (ASF); the lesser consumption of pork on account of closed restaurants; and the lack of tourists. He also mentioned the entry of imported pork as a program of national government which decreased the farm gate prices of hogs vis-à-vis the increasing prices of raw materials like corn, soya, and the like.

However, Ang said the industry is surviving, and is grateful to the local government of General Santos for being supportive of the industry. It will be recalled that General Santos City is still ASF-free owing to the strict entry points in strategic areas imposed by the city government. Thus, the intervention of the city government is extremely helpful, Ang opined.

He explained that South Cotabato and General Santos City ship out about 80% – 90% of their pork to Visayas and Luzon. “It has always been like that even up to now. We are still shipping most of our hogs out,” he further said.

For his parting message, Ang emphasized that we should patronize local pork and local Pinoy products. We should ask our meat shops if they serve Pinoy Pork although he clarified that in General Santos City, there is no imported meat.

Meanwhile, NFHFI Chairman and President Chester Warren Tan explained that the challenges confronting the national hog industry include the presence of ASF starting in August 2019; the lockdown occurring in March 2020 which affected agri-livestock and fisheries – the industry suffered losses with oversized livestock that industry stakeholders did not know where to sell especially coming from the Visayas and Mindanao; and the high cost of logistics since live hogs had to travel to Visayas and Luzon.

“With the crisis, it took us several months to figure out how to manage and respond,” Tan stressed. The first and second quarters of 2020 were tough for the industry. “However, late in the 4th quarter of 2020 and early 1st quarter of 2021, the industry experienced relief but only for a few months because pork importation was then adopted by the national government,” Tan explained. Imported pork product is now the next challenge.

Tan said the hog industry is a Php 250-280-Billion industry built by our ancestors and has been existing and surviving for decades.

“We are not against the importation of pork products. We are only asking to compute properly and import only what’s needed, and not adjust the tariff,” Tan emphasized. He said imported manufactured goods competing with our locally-produced goods should pay a higher tariff. He clarified that the industry needs to see more action and receive more support from the Department of Agriculture because right now, the industry feels that they are on their own.

Presently, the NFHFI still engages government agency leaders particularly those who understand their plight. In fact, the industry participates in crafting the 2022-2027 Roadmap of the Hog Industry. It will come out soon.

On the vaccination rollout against ASF, the study concluded in August 2021. It took 84 days to extract all blood samples then these were shipped to the US for the laboratory process. Hopefully, the results will come out in October 2021. In the meantime, biosecurity is particularly important to protect our farms, Tan said.

For his concluding statement, Tan encouraged Filipinos to support local products and not be dependent on imported goods. He also appeals to the national government to reconsider prior commitments with the World Trade Organization on pork meat importation in view of the present threat to the industry.

He also asked every Filipino to continue patronizing local products even if the price is higher to support our fellow Filipino farmers. “Let’s buy Pinoy pork,” he concluded.

***

Food for Thought

Leadership is not about the next election, it’s about the next generation. – Simon Sinek

***

Writer can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN