By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office officer-in-charge Dr. Placeda Lemana said on Wednesday that the province’s hog revenue is not affected by the extension of the Cebu provincial government ban on hogs and related products.
Lemana told reporters that from January to March 2023, a total of 11,000 heads of hogs were shipped out of the province, which is lower by 2,000 to 3,000 heads compared to last year.
Hogs that were not shipped out were processed into pork products for local consumption.
“So bawi-bawi lang,” Lemana said.
Earlier, Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said the provincial government is unfazed by the extended ban on the entry of live hogs, piglets, boar semen, and pork-related products from Negros Island to Cebu, as ordered by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia due to ASF (African Swine Fever) issues and concerns.
“Let them decide what is good for them. We will just decide and take care of our own hog industry, as we deem fit,” Diaz said.
Diaz further said that the hog industry in Negros Occidental has its own market, and is content with the prices in Metro Manila.
The Bureau of Animal Industry reported that Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental are among the 20 provinces all over the country which remain ASF (African Swine Fever)-free, as of this time.
Despite the BAI reports, the provincial government of Cebu extended until April 20, or another 15 days, the temporary ban on the entry of live hogs, piglets, boar semen, and pork-related products from Negros island.
Executive Order No. 11, series of 2023, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said that there was still a need to confer with the stakeholders of the local hog industry, including the mayors of the local government units belonging to Cebu, and the respective governors of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, to come up with a common protocol against African Swine Fever, hog cholera, and other swine diseases.
“We have the food. The problem is, who has no food?” Diaz quipped.
Cebu province continues to battle the ASF virus in 12 of its towns and cities.
Negros Occidental and highly urbanized Bacolod City have permanently banned the entry of live pig, boar semen, sows, piglets, and pork-related products from Cebu due to the confirmed detection of ASF in the island province.
