Cebu will no longer be able to sell pork to Metro Manila because there is also a shortage there, according to the Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative on Tuesday.
Other areas such as Iloilo and Negros provinces can still supply their surplus, according to Paul Holaysan, the group’s president.
“Sa Cebu di na kami nakaka-supply kasi nagkaka-short na rin kami. Dahil since October last year dami nang bumibili na taga-Luzon dito eh nasobrahan ang buying nila,” he said in an interview with Teleradyo.
“Sa’min ngayon ang priority namin as mandated by the LGU (local government unit), we should prioritize our local supply.”
Most or 60 percent of hog raisers in Cebu are backyard while 40 percent are commercial, Holaysan said.
“Sa production po ganun pa rin po, medyo bumaba po kasi itong ASF (African swine fever) pumasok dito sa Leyte so marami ring kasama natin ang natakot at nag-unload,” he said.
“‘Yun ang root cause ng shortage na ito so dapat talagang tugunan ito at magkaroon ng programa, kung paano protektahan yung ASF-free areas para maka-expand sila ng production para kahit papaano may kaunting additional supply naman tayo.”
Pork producers say there’s pork supply shortage in Cebu
The Department of Agriculture has already started this weekend to subsidize the transport of live pigs from Mindanao.
Meanwhile, the number of towns in Leyte with cases of African swine fever has increased, according to the Department of Agriculture – Eastern Visayas on Monday.
The agency confirmed that ASF has also entered Barangay Causwagan and Liwayway in MacArthur town, and in Sitio Banug, Barangay Baras in Palo town.
“Ikinalulungkot po namin talagang nahirapan itong task force natin. Mukhang nagsabay-sabay pala ito,” said DA Region 8 information officer Francis Rosaroso.
“Ang mga local governments po ngayon ay talagang doble sa trabaho,” he added.
According to Rosaroso, up to 3,000 pigs in Leyte will be subjected to depopulation.
He called on hog raisers to surrender pigs within a 500-meter radius to the affected backyard farms to prevent the spread of ASF.
“Minsan po, ikinalulungkot namin sabihin na talagang nahihirapan dahil attached na attached naman sila sa kanilang mga hayop,” he said.