THE Provincial Task Force on African Swine Fever (ASF) seized 21 cans of Ma Ling meat loaf during its inspection in a public market in Silay City on Tuesday, September 24.

Ma Ling is one of the banned pork products from China, which is among the countries affected by ASF virus.

Of the number of confiscated canned products, 17 cans have a net weight of 340 grams while the remaining four cans weigh 170 grams.

These were confiscated from several establishments at the public market, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) said.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Order 2019-046 mandates to recall and seize imported pork meat products from ASF-affected countries. Ma Ling is one of the nine listed brands.

ASF is a fatal disease among pigs affecting over 20 countries worldwide, it added.

The inspection was led by District Field Unit III officer-in-charge Dr. Modesto Joseph Cañonero III, together with Silay City Veterinarian Mary Rose Jimera, Dr. Placeda Lemana of the ASF Surveillance Team, representatives from the Philippine National Police and Market Management Office.

The Market Management Office, in a statement, committed to continue the surveillance in the area and report any incidence of sale of pork products listed by the FDA.

The task force, meanwhile, vowed to strengthen its education campaign on ASF awareness and ensure proper implementation of the ASF Prevention and Control Program.

It can be recalled that on August 22, the task force chaired by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson also seized several cans of Ma Ling during an inspection at a supermarket inside 888 China Town Square in Bacolod City.

As measure to ensure the safety of the P6-billion swine industry of Negros Occidental, one of the top producers of swine in the country, the Provincial Government is currently implementing a 90-day ban on pork products from Luzon.

It was implemented days after the Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed positive cases of ASF in Luzon, particularly in farms of Rizal and Bulacan.

The ban covers live pigs, pork, pork products and by-products from Luzon whether fresh, processed or canned which can carry the ASF virus.

On September 21, around 27 kilograms of pork asado siopao from Luzon were confiscated by members of the Provincial Task Force on ASF at Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City.

This was the first confiscation since the pork ban was implemented starting September 11.