BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental intends to improve the meat processing capability of local hog raisers.
This development is expected to discouraged importation of pork products from other countries, thus keeping the local industry safe from the threat of African swine fever (ASF), Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said.
“Improved meat processing capabilities means we don’t need to import products. We could then guarantee that locally-produced meats are safety and ASF-free,” Decena added.
According to Decena, this proposal is part of the province’s strengthened protocols to combat the deadly pig disease which already swept neighboring countries.
The PVO head also said that during last week’s monitoring, they managed to hold several meat products from passengers.
“We always look for documents for those transporting meat products such as the certificate of meat inspection and shipping permits,” said Decena.
He cited the creation of the Provincial ASF task force tasked to protect the province’s multi-billion hog industry.
The task force also conducts initial disease investigation and institute outbreak control protocols in case of a suspected outbreak, and imposes closure of any farm confirmed to be infected with ASF.
“Reports from the Department of Agriculture of “suspicious” deaths of hogs in some areas of the country prompted us to en force stricter rules,” Decena said.
Negros Occidental is the number one producer of backyard swine in the Philippines.
There has been no report of suspected ASF cases in the province amid the heightened disease surveillance./PN
