Thursday, April 03, 2008 Hog raisers appeal for subsidy to fend off pork price increase
THE National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. yesterday appealed to the government to help them survive without having to increase the price of the pork they sell to consumers.
Federation president Albert R.T. Lim Sr. said that hog raisers are buying animal feeds at double last month’s prices. Corn, for example, now costs them P13 per kilo compared to only P6 last month, he added. Soya now costs them P25 per kilo, from P14 per kilo a month ago.
Soya supply has run scarce, forcing its prices up, after the United States and the European Union decided to develop it for biofuel, Lim added.
Hog raisers are torn between two painful options: halting swine production, which could further lead to higher prices, or increasing prices outright, which could force households to consume less pork.
Swine production in the Philippines consists of 70 percent backyard-raising and 30 percent in commercial operations.
Countries such as China, the US and parts of the EU are subsidizing hog raisers there to increase production. But in the Philippines, Lim pointed out, hog raisers are imposed high taxes and strictly regulated by several government agencies.
Joel A. Elumba, DA 7 livestock division chief, said their inventory shows 971,230 hogs in Central Visayas at present.
No data was available on hog supply versus demand in the region during yesterday’s press conference.
Private sector-driven
Lim, however, said that given the problems in the hog-raising industry, the government should come in.
“This industry is privately-driven. We do our business without assistance from the government. But this time, at least the government must intervene by providing good breeds and cheaper and more readily available corn feeds. Or it can come up with alternative feeds,” Lim said.
Plutarco Ong, president and general manager of the Cebu Golden Farms Inc., said feeds supply is the only problem among Cebu’s hog raisers.
Unlike Luzon, Cebu has been certified free of food-and-mouth disease, and raisers who have at least 20 heads of hogs form part of an organized alliance.
The national federation will hold its 17th Hog Convention and Trade Exhibits at the Cebu International Convention Center on April 24-26, with the theme, “Enhancing Pork Production for the Export Market.”
The convention will also feature the latest veterinary products and equipment. (EOB)
