BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – An estimated P165,000 worth of pork and pork products were intercepted in a span of five days following an order from the provincial government of Negros Occidental prohibiting the entry of hogs and pork byproducts into the province due to the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF).
In its report covering Oct. 15 to 19, the Provincial ASF Task Force reported that the 666.5 kilos of pork and pork products came mainly from Iloilo.
In a memorandum on Monday, Oct. 1 7, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson banned live pigs and pork products from the neighboring Panay and Guimaras islands.
Negros Occidental has a P6-billion hog industry, and ASF could have a catastrophic effect not just on the local hog industry but also on the province’s food production capacity.
The taskforce report, signed by Dr. Placeda Lemana, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Veterinary Office, also showed that the confiscated items were either shipped back to the point of origin or confiscated.
They were intercepted at the BREDCO Port in Bacolod City, New Bacolod-Silay Airport, San Carlos City port and Escalante City port.
“We assure [the public] that, here in Negros Occidental, our swine industry is still ASF-free,” Lemena said./PN
