The Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative (CeViPPCo) has called for the help of the public in keeping the hog industry in Cebu province safe against the African Swine Fever (ASF).
In a statement sent to Bohol Island News, CeViPPCo urged them not to bring in pork products including canned/processed pork products to Cebu.
“Eating pork products sourced within Cebu is safe and we could keep it that way with your help. Please do your share, be informed and know what should and should not be done in order to protect our local hog industry,” a portion of their statement read.
READ: Bohol bans pork imports due to African swine fever
“As we all know, this disease has already wreaked havoc in other countries, the biggest of which is in China where they have to cull almost half of their pigs greatly affecting their economy. We wouldn’t want that to happen here, so we appeal to everyone to do their part.”
CeViPPCo expressed its thanks to the Cebu Provincial Government for quickly putting up measures to ensure the safety of the hog industry in the province against ASF.
It, likewise, expressed their full support to the implementation of the measures laid out by the provincial government through its Provincial ASF Task Force.
“We shall be actively involving ourselves in the monitoring and surveillance activities, information dissemination and other activities that would help protect the Cebu province 10.9B pesos hog industry.”
In Cebu Province alone, CeViPPCo says there are about 150,000 families that are directly involved in Pig Farming.
Cebu’s annual pork consumption is around 64,000,000 kilograms.