BACOLOD City – The supply of pork in Negros Occidental has been reduced by 50 percent due to the after effects of the outbreak of the African swine fever (ASF) and hog cholera last year.
Ric Lauron, head of the Alliance of Hog Raisers Association of Negros Occidental (AHRANO), said hog raisers in the province are now struggling to increase the available supply of pork in order to meet consumer demand.
Based on their own monitoring, Lauron said the shortage in pork supply has caused some butcher shops in the province to temporarily suspend their operations.
He further noted that most of the hogs are not yet matured enough for slaughter and that it would take another two months before the pork supply in the province goes back to normal.
As part of efforts to increase the availability of pork supply to consumers, the province’s hog raisers have decided not to export live hogs.
Meanwhile, Lauron said they support the new anti-ASF guidelines imposed by the provincial government, which effectively imposes a total ban in the entry of pork products coming from outside Negros Occidental.
However, since Bacolod City has been cleared to accept pork shipments from other areas, including those tagged as ASF red zones, Lauron said they are concerned over the possibility of a contamination. They are hoping the provincial government would enforce stricter monitoring. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN