Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar led DA officials in ushering the arrival of 2,000 live hogs from Biotech Farms in South Cotabato on February 17, 2021 at the Vitas Port, Pier 18, in Tondo, Manila.
“We have monitored the situation from February 8 up until now, and the average daily volume of hogs that have reached Metro Manila is 4,560 heads, compared doon sa ini-slaughter at 4,000 hogs daily. We have more than enough hogs,” Secretary Dar said.
“We have seen many of the wet markets and the supermarkets have now adjusted their prices within the ceiling,” he added.
The shipment is part of the sustained efforts of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to augment the supply of pork and eventually lower the prices of pork in Metro Manila.
“It was Mr. Rey Chiang, CEO of Biotech Farms, himself who volunteered to support us and the Duterte government, committing to deliver thousands of hogs weekly. The two thousand-hog shipments today will be supplied to Quezon City public markets,” Secretary Dar said.
From here on, he added that Biotech Farms — based in Banga and Tantangan, South Cotabato — will transport thousands of live hogs regularly to be sold in various Metro Manila public markets.
Hog shipments from different ASF-free areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao reached a peak of 6,800 heads yesterday, February 16, said Secretary Dar, adding that the DA continues to coordinate with local government units (LGUs) in the mobilization and marketing of pork supply, and provides consumers with reasonably-priced pork thru the “Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” outlets.
“We are still working with the wholesalers na bumibili diretso sa mga hog raisers. Meron nang merkado iyan, meron na silang regular na bumibili. Mini-monitor namin iyan. Alam namin kung saan ang mga slaughterhouses. Alam namin kung ilan na ang naimbak sa cold storage,” he said.
Further, Secretary Dar clarified that some wholesalers buy in bulk and distribute the products themselves. Apart from the mobilization, the DA continues to strengthen its “Bantay ASF sa Barangay” program, and set to implement a massive hog repopulation in ASF-free and “green zone” areas.
Further, he said the DA is now coordinating with the US Department of Agriculture regarding the procurement of an ASF vaccine that is currently being clinically and field-tested in Vietnam.
The Department is also intensifying its Bantay Presyo Task Force to ensure that consumers will have access to available, accessible, and affordable meat products.
Joining Secretary Dar at Pier 18 were DA Undersecretary William Medrano; Assistant Secretaries Arnel de Mesa, Federico Laciste, Jr., and Noel Reyes; and Biotech Farms Supervisor Herbert Torres and Manager Edelyn Soberon. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)
