• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Provincial Veterinary Office yesterday declared that the spread of African Swine Fever among hogs in Negros Occidental has already been contained, citing zero mortalities on hog diseases over the past several days.
With this positive development, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Placeda Lemana yesterday said they are now further strengthening border control operations against the possible entry of hog diseases from infected areas.
Data from the Provincial Veterinary Office showed that hog fatalities have reached 17,801 this year, representing 9.96 percent of the total hog population of 164,334 in Negros Occidental.
The hog industry in Negros Occidental incurred losses amounting to almost P200 million, affecting 3,536 hog raisers in 153 barangays of 20 towns and cities in Negros Occidental.
The vigilance of the PVO recently resulted in the confiscation of pork meat from ASF-affected areas in Mindanao, which passes through Negros Occidental, via Iloilo.
Lemana also admitted that the shipment of hogs from Negros Occidental dropped to more than 3,000 in August, due to the ASF cases that hit seven local government units of the province.
Regarding the possible shortage in the supply of pork in Negros Occidental, as demand is expected to rise in the last quarter of the year because of the yuletide season, Lemana said it may not happen if there will be no shipment of pigs outside the province.
Based on PVO reports, the average price of pork meat is currently P280 per kilo in Negros Occidental.*
