BACOLOD City – Around P1.4 million worth of eggs were intercepted at the BREDCO port, Reclamation Area here.
A total of 240,000 pieces, or 8,000 trays, of table eggs from Bantayan, Cebu were seized by joint elements of the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Quarantine Services, Bacolod City Veterinary Office and the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) on Feb. 5.
Bacolod City veterinarian Maria Agueda Trinidad Dela Torre explained that although Bantayan, Cebu is avian Influenza (AI) or bird flu-free, the shipper’s permit was expired; no other pertinent documents were presented.
It was the fourth time that eggs from Bantayan were transported to Bacolod City passing ports from Tabuelan to Escalante, then to BREDCO bound for Iloilo province, according to the city veterinarian.
When asked if this would affect the supply and market cost of eggs in this city, she said, “Ang aton diri supply bastante. Although may gamay gid man sya nga pagsaka, nagsaka sya tungod man sa aton cost sang production. Indi nagsaka ang cost bangud sang kulang [of supply] ta.”
Last December 2022, joint Executive Order (EO) No. 02-2022 was issued by the Bacolod City government and the province of Negros Occidental to safeguard the province from bird flu.
The EO established guidelines for the entry of live domestic and wild birds, and their products, including eggs and manure, from areas with reported cases of highly pathogenic AI into the province of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.
The table eggs were immediately disposed of through incineration.
Dela Torre called for the public’s cooperation. She reminded that legal action will be taken against second-offense violators.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental PVO head Dr. Placeda Lemana earlier said the province remains bird flu-free and hoped it would stay that way. Its entry will not only negatively impact the livelihood of the Negrenses but could also severely damage the province’s ability to produce food.
The province’s poultry industry is pegged at P8 billion.
Negros Occidental is one of the top food producers and exporters in the Visayas./PN
