Amid the Avian Influenza or bird flu outbreak in Luzon, the livestock industry players here are not taking any chances against animal diseases that may affect the industry, such as food and mouth disease by beefing up good agricultural practices.
“We should not put our guards down even if we are FMD-free,” said Edward So, president of Davao Hog Raisers Association.
“The more that we should be strict in protecting our industry, considering the fact that other markets in the country like Luzon and the Visayas source their pork requirements in Mindanao,” he added.
He said Mindanao has quality products and exports hogs to Luzon and Visayas where there is a shortage of pork meat.
The shortage of pork meat, So said, is felt especially in Luzon because of the present administration’s policy to curb smuggling.
So stressed the shortage of pork production in the country even surprises hog raisers in Mindanao. As such this is an opportune time to consider joining the hog industry to increase production.
While Mindanao hog raisers are committed to improving their production, So said the government should also help backyard raising to go mainstream.
“What is good in Mindanao is that we still have available lands for hog raising unlike in Luzon,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture (DA) XI will collect blood samples from hogs for FMD test, cholera and other hog diseases as part of its monitoring to ensure that Davao’s livestock remains FMD free.
Dr. Dannie Apelo, Avian Influenza coordinator of DA, also assured that in the provinces, cities, towns and barangay levels there are personnel in-charge on IEC (information, education, communication) for awareness campaign among backyard raisers.
“These backyard raisers already know what vaccine to apply for instance against cholera,” he said, adding that the industry players should not be complacent even if the region is FMD-free. That is why he said, the quarantine operatives are on guard and man quarantine checkpoints to look into all livestock and poultry products transported into Davao (Digna D. Banzon/PNA)
