BACOLOD City – The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) in Negros Occidental in collaboration with broiler producers is pushing measures to ensure safety of chicken meat products sold among local markets.
“We need to ensure that chicken meat products sold in the markets are safe for consumption,” provincial veterinarian Renante Decena said.
The PVO recently initiated a meeting with the National Meat Inspection Services in Western Visayas to discuss concern on food safety, particularly chicken meat in the province.
It was attended by members of the Association of Broiler Integrators of Negros Occidental and poultry dressing plant owners and operators in the province.
PVO and NMIS reported that about 25,000 heads of broiler chicken sold in the market per day have not passed the required meat inspection and certification.
Thus, it is uncertain if the products are safe and fit for human consumption as these are slaughtered clandestinely.
PVO said this can be attributed to the significant increase in chicken production in the province.
During the meeting, dressing plant operators committed to accommodate at least 7,000 heads of chicken per day from integrators and growers starting next month.
They also assured the two chicken dressing facilities in Bago City and E.B. Magalona will be operational by last quarter of the year.
For its part, PVO Meat Inspection Division together with NMIS Field Office personnel and local government units will continue to monitor and implement appropriate actions to ensure that chicken meat in the province will be compliant to food safety standards. (With a report from PNA/PN)
