P1.3-M pork products seized in Negros Occidental during Holy Week
BACOLOD CITY – The provincial government of Negros Occidental seized a total of P1.3-million worth of pork and pork products from April 1 to 10.
Of the confiscated items, 9.52 kilos of pork and 37,680 packs of processed pork meat worth P1.2 million were shipped back to their origin due to non-compliance of requirements while 178.5 kilograms worth P100,000 were confiscated and burned.
Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana said that most of the products were intercepted at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) port here, including a whole lechon from Panay, which arrived during the Lenten season.
The Joint African Swine Fever (ASF) Task Force of Bacolod City and the province conducted the operation to ensure that both local government units are still ASF-free and to protect the P6-billion hog industry in the province.
Last month, both LGUs issued an executive order intensifying their measures against ASF, prohibiting the entry of all live pigs, boar semen, pork, pork products, and other pork-related food items from the province of Cebu, Camotes Island, and Bantayan Island into Negros Island and the city of Bacolod following the confirmed detection of ASF in pigs from Carcar City, Cebu.
Prior to that, the provincial government has already banned the entry of the items from Luzon, Mindanao, Region 8, Panay Island, Guimaras Island, and other countries as may be declared by the Department of Agriculture (DA).