BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental continues to intercept pork products being slipped through the province’s various ports despite the ban on those from areas with African swine fever (ASF).
From Nov. 21 to 27, PVO’s ASF Task Force confiscated 56.25 kilos of pork and pork products with an estimated value of P74,000.
The biggest apprehension was at the BREDCO port in Bacolod City; they confiscated 50.5 kilos, while the rest were from the Banago Port, San Carlos City Port, Bacolod-Silay Airport, and Kabankalan City.
PVO officer-in-charge, Dr. Placeda Lemana, said all confiscated pork products were immediately destroyed either by burning or burial.
With the Christmas season now in full swing in the province and with the expected demand for pork products, especially Christmas ham, Lemana said they have not monitored any entry of Christmas ham from outside of Negros Occidental.
At present, Negros Occidental and the neighboring provinces of Negros Oriental and Cebu are the only ASF-free areas in the Visayas./PN
