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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) vowed to provide additional assistance for pig farmers and raisers if it meant ensuring steady supply of pork and live hogs in Cebu.
Usec. William Medrano of the DA’s Livestock Division visited the Capitol last week and met with Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to discuss the province’s Enhance Countryside Development program, according to a report from Sugbo News.
The provincial government-ran media outlet reported that the state’s agricultural bureau plans to put up swine multiplier and breeder farms to increase Cebu’s production of live pigs and pork products.
“Being a green zone, we encourage all investors and swine farms and raisers to enhance production levels para mas mataas yung supply nang baboy from Cebu,” Medrano said.
In turn, the DA will be granting financial aid to local governments here in building these farms, more slaughterhouses, and the purchase of vitamins and food for pigs, and more farming equipment.
Medrano also said these measures were aimed to help small-scale or backyard pig raisers in Cebu.
Cebu and the entire Central Visayas remain free from any confirmed cases of the African Swine Fever (ASF). The P11-billion hog industry here is also one of the largest suppliers of live pigs and pork products in the country.
The Capitol recently allowed selected pig farmers in Cebu to export live hogs to other provinces.
On January 29, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued Executive Order (EO) No. 8 to prohibit live hogs raised in farms and backyards in Cebu province from being exported for six months.
The move was made in order to “stabilize the prices of pork products” amidst a shortage in pork in other parts of the Philippines due to the ASF outbreak. / dcb