The continuing pork ban in Negros Occidental has yielded about PHP1.2 million worth of assorted pork products confiscated in various ports of entry and establishments around the province from January 1 to October 15 this year.
Some 4,051.74 kilograms of pork and pork-related items which came from various parts of the country were seized during the said period, a report of the Provincial African Swine Fever (ASF) Task Force submitted to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson showed.
“These were apprehended in seaports, airport, checkpoints, and [also] local government units in the province,” Dr. Renante Decena, provincial veterinarian, said in a statement on Wednesday.
Decena, who sits as co-chair of the ASF Task Force, said that from October 9 to 15 alone, some PHP9,628 worth of pork and pork-related products were confiscated from hand-carried and check-in baggage arriving at the Bacolod-Silay Airport.
He added that meat products allowed to enter the province are only those that have been properly inspected and found to have complete documents.
Negros Occidental prohibits the entry of live pigs, pork, and pork products coming from Luzon, Mindanao, and Eastern Samar, which all have confirmed cases of the swine disease to protect its PHP6-billion swine industry.
During the second year celebration of the Provincial ASF Task Force last July, Lacson, the task force chair, lauded the efforts of the industry stakeholders for sustaining the province’s ASF-free status.
As a “green zone” or an ASF-free province, Negros Occidental is one of the most trusted and major suppliers of pigs for slaughter in Luzon and other parts of the country.
Source: Philippines News Agency
