Hogs and pork products from Luzon and other areas tested positive for African swine fever (ASF) virus by the Department of Agriculture (DA) are still not permitted to enter the city after the Iloilo provincial government extended the ban “as long as the country is not free” from contamination.
The extension was released right after the executive order imposing a three-month ban authorized by Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. last Oct. 21 expired last Tuesday.
“We extended the ban for swine, pork, pork products coming from Luzon. This will not be in effect for a certain period but will continue to be in effect as long as the country is not free from the ASF,” Defensor stated.
Included in the ban are pork and related products from countries that have confirmed ASF cases, such as Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Luxembourg, Moldova, Myanmar, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine and Vietnam..
Precautionary measures are being implemented in all ports of entry to the province to protect the city from the influx of affected products and by-products.
“There are X-ray machines in our airport here for international flights, to detect pork and pork products. The domestic flights, meanwhile, the inspection was done in Luzon wherein pork and its by-products will be confiscated from passengers’ baggage,” he added.
In spite of the extensive ban, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has guaranteed Ilonggos that the supply of pork in the province is enough to supply the local demand.
“We have 200 percent surplus so even if we ban the entry of pork products from Luzon, we will be sustained since we have sources from Cebu and Cagayan,” Dr. Darel Tabuada, supervising veterinarian of the PVO said. (RJ Espartinez)