NORTHERN Mindanao Agriculture director Carlene Collado on Thursday assured consumers that the supply and price of hog remain stable despite incidents of suspected African swine fever in some areas in the country.
“Amid the threat of ASF, region 10’s hog supply remains stable. More importantly, the region is still free from the said deadly disease,” said Collado.
Among the agency’s measures in ensuring that the region remains ASF-free include implementing strict quarantine checkpoints, including the conduct of various information-dissemination activities.
Importantly, the strengthened partnership with the provincial and municipal/city local government units in the region on the strict enforcement of the prevention and control of ASF.
It can be recalled that the agency has also recently turned over two units of automated disinfection system in DA-RFO 10’s Malaybalay Stock Farm in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, and Alae Quarantine Station, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, which is the first of its kind in Mindanao and the region.
Philippine Statistics Authority reported, as of July 1, this year, Region 10 ranked third in volume of production at 101,911.97 metric tons next to Central Luzon and CALABARZON, respectively.
According to Chedy V. Ansale, Chief of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of DA-10, based on their regional price monitoring of live weight data, hog price remains stable at around P90-100 per kilogram from September up to the present.
She further clarified, there is enough supply despite circulating reports of its shortage, “Based on our data, our demand in the region for the first semester of this year is 23,737 metric tons while our available volume of pork for consumption is 60,096 metric tons. Thus, we have a surplus of 153% and a sufficiency level of 253%.”
She added, it is an opportunity for hog raisers in the region to sell their supply to other areas in the country.
Northern Mindanao Hog Raisers Association (NorMinHog) President Leon Tan, Jr. cited, that their organization continues to supply in areas outside the region such as Manila, Leyte, Surigao, and Caraga. (Angie Cabig/AMBManto/DA-10)
