AMID the threats hounding the country’s swine industry, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental emphasized its appeal to Negrenses to patronize locally-produced products.

Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said they are urging all meat vendors and consumers in the province to patronize Negros pork than other products especially those being imported.

The province remains free of African Swine Fever (ASF), which is reportedly affecting other countries and some with pork meat products being exported to the Philippines.

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has already ordered to recall all pork meat products coming from countries suspected to have been affected by ASF virus.

Decena said though ASF does not cause disease among humans and there is nothing to be scared about, the public is expected to be more cautious and vigilant in terms of buying pork.

“Hence, with this trend, it is much convenient and safer to buy locally-produced pork,” he said, adding that this is also one way of supporting the province’s swine industry.

Negros Occidental ranks first in terms of backyard swine production in the country according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

PVO records showed that the province current annual swine production for both backyard and commercial is 510,000 heads.

In 2018, the province’s total consumption is 37,000 metric tons (MT).

With the annual production of 54,000 MT, Negros Occidental has a surplus of about 16,000 metric tons.

“Patronizing our own produced pork will further boost production and ensure price stability,” the provincial veterinarian also said.

The PVO, he said, along with big players of commercial and backyard swine remained steadfast in ensuring that the province will remain ASF-free.

It can be recalled that the Provincial Task Force on ASF headed by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson conducted spot inspections to different supermarkets, storage facilities and ports of entry last week.

Decena, who is also the co-chair of the task force, said this is to make sure that adequate measures are in place to prevent the entry of the virus.

The task force is also giving priority to the quality and handling of meat being sold in different public markets to ensure the safety of the consumers, he added.

The PVO, through its district field units, is also working on ensuring the stability of prices and sufficiency of local pork supply.

Technical personnel are assigned to extend technical assistance among large and small scale animal raisers.

Decena said that through this, the severity of swine health and welfare issues can be lessened.

“Commercial and backyard swine raisers also manifested their strong commitment in producing good quality pork meat and full cooperation to protect the billion peso local swine industry,” he added.