Antique governor Rhodora Cadiao (PNA photo)
As long as the threat of the African Swine fever (ASF) to the hog industry is active, Antiqueños should only buy pork products from the province according to Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao.
With enough supply of pork products from the market, Cadiao said that it would be best for the public at the moment not to consume pork from Luzon where ASF is prevalent.
“Let us refrain (from) buying first, pork not produced in the province,” she added.
Cadiao revealed that the local government has also suspended the purchase of 2,000 heads of native pigs supposed to be given to the farmers affected by the El Niño phenomenon and whose livestock were affected by the dry spell.
“We temporarily withheld procuring pigs outside of Antique because of the ASF,” she said.
The hogs proposed to be obtained within Panay Island were supposed to help farmers as their alternative means of livelihood other than farming.
She added that the initiative is a precautionary measure to ensure that the ASF threat will not enter and affect the hogs in the province.
Furthermore, Dr. Romeo Magdato, Antique provincial veterinarian, said that he was still waiting for the governor to approve and sign an executive order for the temporary ban on pork and other pork by-products from Luzon.
Overall, Antique has a wide hog population of 73,414 — with 68,873 grown in the backyard, and 4,541, commercially raised. (RJ Espartinez)