ROXAS City – To sustain local hog production amid the threat of African swine fever (ASF), the provincial government of Capiz is prohibiting the shipment of young and underweight hogs out of the province.
Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras issued Executive Order No. 16-2021 “regulating the trading, buying and shipping-out of hogs for slaughter, breeding, growing and for lechon purposes in order to maximize the production of potential local hogs and preserving the local hog production base for sustainable production.”
According to Contreras, the ASF epidemic created a shortfall in pork supply in Luzon, especially in Metro Manila, prompting hog traders, buyers and viajeros to source hogs for slaughter in Capiz and other provinces in Panay Island, which in turn has resulted to the massive shipping out of local hogs.
The governor further noted that the continuous shipments lately forced raisers and buyers to trade young, underweight stocks (60kg) for slaughter rather than hogs with a slaughter weight of between 90 kg to 100 kg.
This, he added, resulted to increase cost in live weight and therefore a rise, too, in the price of pork in the local market.
This trading, if left unregulated, will ultimately drain the local hogs population.
“There is a need for an intervention, intercession and, as manifested by the Roxas City Meat Dealers’ and Butlers’ Association, Inc., to regulate the trading, buying and shipping-out of young and underweight hogs for slaughter,” stressed Contreras.
Under the EO, only hogs weighing not less than 80kg can be traded for slaughter to Manila/Luzon and shipped out of Capiz.
However, hogs of lechon size and weight are not allowed regardless of sex.
Also, it is ordered that underweight animals for breeding purposes are only allowed if sourced from accredited farms (with registration) by the Department of Agriculture -Bureau of Animal Industry.
Contreras’ order took effect on May 26./PN
