Manila pork sales drop on swine flu scare

As pork sales drop in markets in Manila, Philippines, on swine flu scare, hog traders are hoping to finally bounce back in late May to early June.

Philippine Association of Hog Raisers Inc. (PAHRI) president Soledad Agbayani said sales are usually lower at this time of year as students are on vacation in the provinces.

According to local media reports, it is stated that markets in eastern Manila, pork traders reported sales had been low and have and recovered from the Ebola Reston virus scare.

Dealers had noted lower sales of pork last March, when the government warned against hogs infected by the Ebola Reston virus.

Agbayani said that once May rolls in and school starts, a shortage of pork supply may even experience, but she also lamented that some people tend to panic quickly over news of swine flu, despite officials' repeated assurances that swine flu is infectious but not deadly.