Philippine Pork Industry Unites to Protect Future
Pig farmers in the Philippines are working with the Department of Agriculture to develop a more cohesive action plan to protect and further develop the local pork industry.
The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc. recently met with agriculture officials to express its support to the government’s agriculture programs and discuss various concerns besetting the industry, Yahoo News reports.
The group delved into many critical topics, including the lingering challenge of African swine fever (ASF), the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the extension of lower tariff for pork imports and lifting the import ban on porcine processed animal protein from Italy.
Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines president Rolando Tambago explained that the local industry is still reeling from the effects of the ASF that has devastated many pork producers and led many to close their operations, the article said.
Currently, of the 81 provinces in the Philippines, 62 are infected with ASF. ASF is a deadly disease of swine that poses no risk to humans or food safety, but has devastating consequences for pigs, almost always resulting in mortality.
The islands of Panay and Iloilo have not been able to control the spread of ASF, government officials said earlier this month. Because of this, the entry ban on pork products from Iloilo and the entire Panay Island has been extended until Dec. 31, 2022.
Officials are encouraged to keep a close eye out for pork products coming from ASF-affected areas.
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