DESPITE the slight increase in the average price of pork in Negros Occidental, the top official of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) said the cost of the product remains stable.
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said the average increase of P0.66 per kilogram in 32 cities and towns is minimal for a week monitoring.
Based on the prevailing market price of livestock and poultry report released by the PVO on Tuesday, April 27, the average price of pork is P229.95 per kilo.
The amount is slightly higher than the previous week's price of P229.25 per kilo.
Decena said the price therefore is stable and there is still enough supply of pigs in the province.
"The live sales price this week is also the same, at P125 to P150 per kilo, compared to that of last week," he said, adding that supply of hogs from auction markets and its weekly slaughter attributed to the slight increase in the price of pork.
The provincial veterinarian said that compared to last week, the price of pork in Bacolod City is still the same at P255 per kilo while that in different localities in the Sixth District is only P210 per kilo.
"In some cities and towns, they slaughter 50 to 100 heads a day compared to at least 435 heads in Bacolod City," Decena said, adding that "so, we statistically analyze the supply chain of market and slaughtered pigs."
Earlier, the PVO noted a stable price of pork in the province amid the increasing trend in the number of hogs being shipped to Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
From 6,894 heads in January this year, the province shipped out 5,088 heads in March.
For April 1 to 18 alone, the PVO has already recorded a shipment of 4,757 heads.
It only noted a lower shipment in February, at 1,896 heads, mainly due to the implementation of Executive Order 124 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte, imposing a 60-day price ceiling on pork and chicken in Metro Manila.
Decena earlier said despite the province's sizeable increase of hog shipment to Luzon and other parts of the country affected by African Swine Fever (ASF), the local supply of hogs for the local pork consumers remains sufficient to meet the demands of the Negrenses.
The provincial veterinarian attributed this to the sustainable swine production initiatives and projects implemented by the provincial government particularly swine breeding herd build-up through dispersal of sows and breeder piglets, and establishment and operation of swine artificial insemination centers.
Also, recent hog production is bolstered by the ASF-free status of the province which paved way to increase interest and enthusiasm among swine raisers, both commercial and backyard, to engage in swine production expansion activity, he added.