February 8, 2007

 

Philippines to export pork to Singapore

 

 

The Philippines will start exporting pork to Singapore by July this year, said Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap on February 7.

 

Yap told the Philippine Star daily that Singapore is looking to the Philippines as its next pork source because of its FMD- free status since 2005.

 

The richest nation in Southeast Asia is purchasing its pork in Malaysia which is reportedly experiencing FMD outbreaks, according to Agriculture Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup.

 

Yap named Matutom Packaging and Nenita's Meats from Mindanao as capable of shipping pork to Singapore and other countries by June or July this year.

 

Only pork products from Mindanao so far are ready to be exported.

 

A clearance from the Office Internationale des Epizooties (OIE) declaring all other parts of the country as FMD-free indicates a go-signal for pork producers to commence exports and increase its pork shipments to Singapore.

 

Yap had previously said that Mindanao could be the country's hub for pork and halal exports.

 

He said Mindanao's comparative advantages as a top animal feed producer with abundant corn plantations as well as being free of FMD makes it an ideal site for breeder farms and processing facilities to produce high-quality pork and world-class meat products.

 

Yap noted the local hog industry grew 3.9 percent in 2006, grossing P126.5 billion (US$2.61 billion) representing 14.3 percent of total agricultural production.

 

The hog industry is the country's second major industry behind palay (rice grains) which grew 18.3 percent and grossed P162.5 billion (US$3.35 billion) in the same year.

 

Local raisers have exported US$650,000 worth of processed meat products from January to September 2006 to Micronesia, United Arab Emirates, Marshall Islands, United States, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Pacific Trust territories, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Italy.

 

Yap said the country will strive to maintain its FMD-free status through precise implementation of "progressive zoning" by the National FMD Task Force with the help of local government units, commercial farms and slaughterhouses.