W. Visayas ships 1,600 pigs to Metro Manila to stabilize pork prices

ILOILO CITY—Due to the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), the Department of Agriculture (DA-6) facilitated the shipping of 1,600 pigs from Western Visayas region to Metro Manila in an attempt to stabilize prices of pork products.
 
DA-6 Regional Director Remelyn Recoter said this is in compliance of the order by Agriculture Secretary William Dar to maintain the mandated price ceiling of pork products in the National Capital Region (NCR).
 
“The shipment is part of the measures to revive the hog industry and reduce pork prices. This is part of the supply chain, mobilizing stocks from surplus areas aside from the transport support and price ceiling,” Recoter added.
 
The pigs worth almost P24 million are expected to arrive Metro Manila Tuesday, February 16.
 
“The pigs will be directly taken to slaughterhouses and will be sold in the different public markets to provide Metro Manila consumers with safe and affordable pork meat,” Recoter said.
 
The pigs that were shipped to Metro Manila were mainly from backyard raisers in the four provinces of Panay Island:  Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo. 
 
Sibalom Integrated Livestock and Poultry Raisers Association (SILPRA) in Sibalom town, Antique province sent the biggest volume of pigs.
 
Recoter noted that local hog raisers and traders are benefiting from this trading.