Trinidad and Tobago hit by AH1N1 flu, pork sales seen to worsen

Trinidad and Tobago has been hit with its first case of the potentially fatal AH1N1 flu virus and local pig farmers believe sales will only go from bad to worse.

Since the emergence of the AH1N1 flu virus, commonly called "swine flu", the pork industry around the world has experienced a decline in sales.

Livestock farmers said pigs have been given a bad rap and blame the drop in sales on misinformation as some consumers are still sceptical about the safety of pork.

Farmer Nigel Khan used to cull around four pigs a week to sell and said that for the past month he has not been selling as consumers are not buying and instead, uncertain shoppers are opting for chicken or beef.

The European Union Health Commission has pointed out that although pigs were the original source of the virus, the AH1N1 flu virus cannot pass from animals to humans, but only from humans to humans.

Despite the readily available information on the virus, what frustrates local pig farmers is that pigs are still being stigmatised and looked upon as somewhat of a 'poster child' for the virus.

Farmers are adamant that the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources must do more to support pig farmers and to restore consumers' confidence in pork and pork products.