January 4, 2007

Philippine province of Pangasinan seeks help on rampant pork smuggling
 

Hog raisers in the Philippine west central province of Pangasinan are seeking government help through stringent measures against illegal trade of pork coming from China.

Dr Rodolfo Custodio, president of the Pangasinan Hog Raisers Cooperative, told The Philippine Star daily that 20 of their more than 50 members have closed up shop due to huge losses.

Custodio blamed the importation of pork from non-accredited countries like China which he said is not authorised by the Bureau of Animal Industry and National Meat Inspection Service.

He said China is also not a member of the international organisation monitoring the outbreak of hog diseases.

Heavily affected are the backyard piggeries which contribute 70 percent of the hog population and the rest, by commercial farms, he added. 

Pangasinan boasts of one of the big hog.populations in Luzon, according to Custodio.

He said they have written Malacanang and the Department of Agriculture to seek the revival of the Anti-Smuggling Task Force.

Custodio also laments that only the National Federation of Hog Raisers, composed of 50 regional groups, including theirs, is monitoring incoming pork imports.  

Custodio also bewailed the spread of text messages alleging that smuggled rotten pork had gone into the making of ham, thus greatly affecting the sales of meat processors during the holidays.

He said they plan to hold a three- to four-day pig holiday or no pork supply in the local market if the government does not heed their call.