Cotabato hog raisers lose P100 million a month due to ASF scare
Published Feb 21, 2020 12:00 am
By Malu Cadelina Manar
KIDAPAWAN CITY – Hog raisers in North Cotabato are losing at least P100 million a month for failure to deliver their products to areas in Visayas after local governments implemented lockdown on all pork products that originated from Mindanao.
Hog raisers in Davao region noted the 40% drop of sales due to African Swine Fever (ASF) scare not just in Davao City but as well as in neighboring provinces of Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental. (Keith Bacongco / MANILA BULLETIN)
Ronald Barrios, head of B-MEG Kidapawan branch, said that at least a thousand live pigs from the city and across North Cotabato province could not reach Tacloban, Leyte, Samar, Cebu, and Bohol in Visayas every month because of the lockdown.
B-MEG of San Miguel Foods ventures into the feeds manufacturing business in the country.
He explained that they bought from backyard raisers for P95 a kilo of a live pig, and sold it to their clients in Visayas for at least P125.
Before the lockdown in Don Marcelino town in Davao Occidental was declared, they used to deliver at least 300 live pigs every week to their customers in the Visayas.
But now, there is too much supply of live pigs that could not be accommodated by local traders in North Cotabato and in the region, according to Barrios.
“This is why we’re asking for a consideration from the government… that officials in Region 8 should not bar us from transporting live pigs and pork products because Kidapawan City and North Cotabato are considered ASF-free,” said Barrios.
Because of lockdown, hog raisers could only transport their products to Cagayan de Oro City, other parts of Davao region, and Caraga in Region 13, he stressed.
Also, hog raisers here were allegedly complaining about the decrease in the demand for pork because of the ASF scare.
At least 30 percent of their sales had declined after media reports on ASF.
The ASF scare has also caused decline in sales of lechon in Kidapawan City, said Tony Arenas, a ‘lechonero’ from Barangay Magsaysay here.
He said that on a regular basis, they could cook at least 10 lechons a day. The ASF reports, however, brought their sales down by 50 percent, he added.
“We’re losing at least P25,000 of income a day because of this ASF. Also, the demand for pork products in the city’s public market also went down to 50 percent,” he explained.
Both Barrios and Arenas assured clients they are into selling healthy pigs and ASF-free pork products.
Hog raisers in Davao region noted the 40% drop of sales due to African Swine Fever (ASF) scare not just in Davao City but as well as in neighboring provinces of Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental. (Keith Bacongco / MANILA BULLETIN)
Ronald Barrios, head of B-MEG Kidapawan branch, said that at least a thousand live pigs from the city and across North Cotabato province could not reach Tacloban, Leyte, Samar, Cebu, and Bohol in Visayas every month because of the lockdown.
B-MEG of San Miguel Foods ventures into the feeds manufacturing business in the country.
He explained that they bought from backyard raisers for P95 a kilo of a live pig, and sold it to their clients in Visayas for at least P125.
Before the lockdown in Don Marcelino town in Davao Occidental was declared, they used to deliver at least 300 live pigs every week to their customers in the Visayas.
But now, there is too much supply of live pigs that could not be accommodated by local traders in North Cotabato and in the region, according to Barrios.
“This is why we’re asking for a consideration from the government… that officials in Region 8 should not bar us from transporting live pigs and pork products because Kidapawan City and North Cotabato are considered ASF-free,” said Barrios.
Because of lockdown, hog raisers could only transport their products to Cagayan de Oro City, other parts of Davao region, and Caraga in Region 13, he stressed.
Also, hog raisers here were allegedly complaining about the decrease in the demand for pork because of the ASF scare.
At least 30 percent of their sales had declined after media reports on ASF.
The ASF scare has also caused decline in sales of lechon in Kidapawan City, said Tony Arenas, a ‘lechonero’ from Barangay Magsaysay here.
He said that on a regular basis, they could cook at least 10 lechons a day. The ASF reports, however, brought their sales down by 50 percent, he added.
“We’re losing at least P25,000 of income a day because of this ASF. Also, the demand for pork products in the city’s public market also went down to 50 percent,” he explained.
Both Barrios and Arenas assured clients they are into selling healthy pigs and ASF-free pork products.