BY MARCHEL P. ESPINA
The provincial government of Negros Occidental and local producers signed a memorandum of understanding to supply hogs to Luzon, and the ceremony was held at the Provincial Veterinary Office in Bacolod City yesterday.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena, Ric Lauron – president of the Alliance of Hog Raisers Associations of Negros Occidental, Rosendo Dela Rama Jr. – president of the Negros Occidental Hog Raisers Association, and Albert Lim, a private business entrepreneur engaged in the trading of live hogs who represented the buyer/s, signed the agreement that states the producers will supply and sell their fattened hogs on a regular and scheduled basis, with consideration to the weight and quality specified by the buyers.
Decena said these association producers are producing fattened market hogs in excess of the local demand that resulted in oversupply which drives the farm gate price of hogs down, necessitating the market of their produce outside the province.
There is an attractive market of hogs and pork in Luzon because of the huge demand of its growing population that led the provincial government to negotiate with the Manila buyers recently, he said.
There was also a low production of pigs in the area, brought about by the African swine fever that has affected many provinces in Luzon and Mindanao, he said.
He added that before the ASF outbreak in different parts of the country, Negros Occidental only supplies swine to the Visayas market.
“Owing to the huge demand for hogs and pork in the Luzon market, the local hog producers express their desire to establish a workable and lasting collaboration with each other in tapping the hog market in Luzon with the involvement of the PVO as facilitator,” Decena explained.
It was also stated in the MOU that the prices of hogs will be advantageous to both parties and that the buyer shall observe the proper transport quarantine protocols with government regulatory agencies to maintain the ASF-free status of the province, he said.
PVO, as a facilitator, will coordinate with the producers and buyers the availability of market hogs, schedules of deliveries and shipment, and other related activities, he added.
Lacson said he hopes that the steady supply of hogs will bring economic benefits to Negrense hog raisers and the community amid the pandemic.*
