BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental is poised to increase its hog production to help affected provinces after the country has been placed under a state of calamity due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.
“More ASF-free pigs will not only ensure stable supply and price of pork, but will also help other provinces hit hard by the dreaded disease,” said Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena in a statement yesterday.
Negros Occidental, tagged as a “green zone” or an ASF-free province, is one of the most trusted and major suppliers of pigs for slaughter in Luzon, and has recently expanded its market for hogs in the area.
Records of the Provincial Veterinary Office showed that Negros Occidental produces an average of 75,000 heads of market hogs per month.
With a monthly consumption of only 55,000 to 60,000 heads, the province has a surplus of at least 10,000 heads, making it capable of supplying hogs to other areas in the country, Decena said.
For Luzon, Negros Occidental has been shipping fattened hogs through a port in Manila, but was able to ship directly through Batangas recently to cater to markets in Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna.
On May 10, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation 1143, placing the entire country under a state of calamity for one year due to the ASF outbreak, allowing the government to tap its quick response fund.
According to the directive, the ASF has spread to 2,571 barangays, 493 cities and towns, 46 provinces, and 12 regions since it was first detected in 2019.
So far, the Philippines has lost around three million hogs, translating to losses of more than P100 billion for the local hog sector and allied industries, and an increase in prices of pork products.
Decena said there must be a rehabilitation of the industry at the local level through LGU-initiated programs like restocking and repopulation.
“We sympathize with those LGUs in 12 regions affected by the ASF outbreak, but we also urge them to follow our local initiatives especially those aimed at ensuring the stable supply of pork and its price,” he added.
The provincial government here has distributed 1,500 piglets and 200 gilts to raisers in different localities since last year as part of its restocking and repopulation measure.(PNA)
