STAKEHOLDERS of poultry industry in Negros Occidental have recognized the need to address issues on illegal dressing as measure to ensure that the dressed chicken sold in the local markets are safe for public consumption.

Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena, who met with National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS) - Western Visayas Director Emmanuel Lemana and poultry integrators at the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) in Bacolod City yesterday, said there's a prevailing problem on illegal dressing in the city.

Decena said about 15 illegal dressing plants are operating in Negros Occidental capital city thereby compromising food safety.

"The NMIS had intervened in this problem with the city officials but until now no actions were made," he said, adding that the AVM Bernardo Slaughterhouse had included a dressing plant as part of their abattoir contract with the city government but until now there's no such facility.

The provincial veterinarian said, "they had already submitted several petitions but to no avail."

During the meeting aimed to underscore broiler production and marketing in the province, stakeholders agreed to adapt the same strategy.

The NMIS will again write to the city government officials.

Decena recalled that the agency wrote Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson informing him about the problem last month.

The governor, however, forwarded the concern to the city mayor as well as legal and veterinary offices for appropriate actions.

Decena said several raids against illegal dressing plants were conducted with personnel of the NMIS and Task Force Botagoy last month. But it was not sustained.

The PVO official said almost 30 percent of the dressed chicken products sold in Bacolod City have not passed through meat inspection because they were not slaughtered in government accredited dressing plants.

"Thus, they are considered hot meat thereby compromising public health and meat safety because several human diseases can be transmitted through animals," he stressed.