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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Cynthia Villar: Gov't should lessen dependence on imported pork

Cynthia Villar: Gov't should lessen dependence on imported pork

Published Mar 3, 2024 07:22 am

Senator Cynthia A. Villar said she is confident that the link and network established by the country’s hog producers with institutional markets—such as restaurants and hotels—will lessen their dependence on imported pork.

CAV at NatFed.JPGHOG FESTIVAL 2024. Senator Cynthia Villar, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte led the ceremonial chopping of pork lechon. During gthe opening of the Hog Festival' 2024 in Quezon City last March 1. The NatFed also set a Guinness Record for the Philippines for serving the most number of pork dishes on display during the event. The Hog Festival will run up to March 2024. (Photo from O/S Sen. Cynthia Villar)

 

While recognizing the Filipinos' love for pork, Villar said it is imperative for the country’s hog producers to provide consumers with good quality pork. 

 

“The love for pork of our kababayans will remain so we need to find a good source of juicy, tender pork with the ideal meat-to-fat ratio at affordable price,” Villar said in her speech during the  National Federation of Hog Farmers National Pig Day Celebration  in Quezon City held from March 1 up to 5.

 

“We Pinoys love to eat meat particularly pork meat. We offer a variety of pork dishes. Some of the favorite pork dishes are - Lechon, Barbecue, Adobo, PocheroSinigang na Baboy, Tokwa at. Baboy, Dinuguan, Binagoongan,Kadios Baboy Langka or KBL, Pork SisigBagnet, Pork Bistek and Crispy Pata, among others,” she pointed out.

 

Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, pointed out that based on studies Filipinos consume 15 kgs of pork, 11.6 kg of chicken and 3 kg of beef a year. 

 

The senator noted that, based on a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) study, the top five regions with the highest volume of hog production at live weight are Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, Central Visayas, Davao Region and Zamboanga Peninsula, as of September 2023.

 

"And about 67.5 percent of the country’s swine population came from small hold farms, while the remaining 29.2 percent and 3.3 percent were from commercial and semi-commercial farms, respectively," she stressed.

 

The senator lamented however, that the Philippines is not spared from the risks of the African Swine Flu (ASF) which is one of the challenges facing the hog industry. The hog sector has registered P200-billion in losses since ASF cases were recorded in 2019. 

 

In November 2023, the Bureau of Animal Industry said that only 11 provinces out of the 82 remain ASF free and these are Batanes, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Bohol, Siquijor, Biliran, Bukidnon, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

 

While no ASF vaccine has been approved, Villar said she is confident Filipinos “can only rely on our good animal husbandry practices in preventing disease and disease-causing agents to spread for our hog farmers to earn, attain their maximum farm yield, protect the consumer food supply by making available clean and safe hogs for slaughter."

 

At the same time, Villar said the government should also stop agricultural smuggling to protect local hog producers. 

 

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Cynthia Villar IMPORTED PORK hog industry pork import National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc.
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