March 28, 2014

Philippine's local meat processors oppose proposal to ban meat imports

Local meat processors in the Philippines are opposing the proposal to ban meat importation from countries with reports of porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) outbreak.

Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (Pampi) President Felix O. Tiukinhoy Jr. said this move will lead to a shortage of raw materials in the industry, especially now that the local production of pork is not enough to support their requirements.

Tiukinhoy said that the increase in prices of live weight pigs approaching the Holy Week is unusual, as prices should actually go down because of diminished demand.

Earlier, local hog raisers appealed to the government to ban pork imports from countries where pork supply is reported to be infected with the corona virus, or PED.

"We find it difficult to appreciate, if not embarrassing, to consider a proposed ban on pork meat from countries that are experiencing an outbreak of this corona virus when the Philippines itself is presently affected with PED. We find it even more challenging to understand the proposal to ban importation of pork meat, which does not host and cannot, therefore, transmit the virus in frozen pork," Tiukinhoy added.

According to Pampi, PED cannot be transmitted to humans, thus, posing no risk to human health.

Tiukinhoy also stated that the PED is not listed as a disease by the World Organization for Animal Health and as such, no quarantines or restrictions are being imposed internationally or interstate.

Pampi said protection to the local herd already infected with PED could be done through biological intervention.