Pork production up 8.6 %

Pork production in Region 11 increased by 8.6 percent in 2012 over that of 2011 while pork importation decreased by 12.7 percent, according to the National Meat Inspection Service, Region 11.
As per the annual summary of slaughter report of NMIS 11, 23.1 million kilograms of pork were produced in 2012 compared to only 21.1 million kilograms in 2011, up by 8.6 percent. On the other hand, the NMIS report shows that pork importation went down from 949 metric tons in 2011 to 828 metric tons in 2012, a difference of 12.7 percent.
Dr. Myrna I. Habacon, officer in charge of NMIS 11, reassured local pork producers that they need not worry because over-all meat import went up with the recent entry of imported beef, buffalo meat for burger patties, and “lamb green runners which are sheep guts.”
Meat import reports show there were 102 metric tons of imported beef, 253 metric tons of buffalo meat, and 34 metric tons of lamb green runners that came into the region during 2012.
The importation of lamb green runners is the first venture of the sheep gut industry to import sheep guts from New Zealand for processing in Kaputian, Samal into high end sausage cases for exportation to Japan and Europe.
Habacon said, “The implication is, it will generate more employment in the region as the process of creating high end sausage cases out of the green runners requires more workers.”
The annual summary of slaughter report of NMIS 11 also shows an increase in cattle production from 21,914 heads in 2011 to 24,887 in 2012, an increase in beef production from 2.6 million kilograms in 2011 to 3 million kilograms in 2012. But chicken production decreased from 31.4 million kilograms in 2011 to 28.4 million in 2012.
According to the Consolidated Monthly slaughter reports for the entire year of 2012, Davao City leads in pork production with 14,386,556 kilograms of pork followed by Davao del Norte with 2,889,060, next is Davao del Sur with 2,441,377, Compostella Valley 2,142,063, and Davao Oriental 1,836,649.