Lessons from the African swine fever

The number of cases has gone down, but the issue is far from over. I hope our authorities have learned a lot of important lessons from the outbreak of the African swine fever in the country.

At the supermarket recently, I noticed that prices of meat products are marked down. Consumers are taking advantage of the low prices, but I wonder if these food items are safe to eat.

Has the Department of Agriculture been on top of the situation? Did the agency do enough monitoring of meat products in the market? Did it require stringent product recalls when necessary?

I heard from industry sources recently that some of the country’s biggest meat processors are pulling out some of their meat products, particularly in Northern Luzon, because they suspect that some of their products may be tainted with ASF.

I hope the DA will look into this and name the brands. It is really important for the DA to continue checking on all meat products in the market, even if the situation seems to be improving already. A thorough check on all meat products is necessary even after the virus is gone.

So far the DA has tagged only one company, Pampanga-based Mekeni Food Corp., saying some of its products are tainted with ASF.

Last Oct. 26, Mekeni voluntarily recalled all of its pork-based products amid reports that some of them had tested positive for ASF.

“This is to ensure that we mitigate the possibility that our products have inadvertently become carriers of ASF,” Mekeni said in published reports.

But other than a few processed meat products that tested positive for ASF, the Bureau of Animal Industry assured that other samples from Mekeni’s plant, particularly those sourced from the US, Canada and France, tested negative for ASF.

But I wonder how about the other meat companies? Did the DA conduct a full investigation on them, too, and not just one company?

Mekeni must be feeling singled out because of all the meat brands in the market, it was the only one named by the DA.

Last month, newspaper reports said that authorities intercepted ASF-positive products in Calapan, Mindoro carried by a passenger.

The processed meat products came from a Central Luzon-based processor, but why was the company not identified?

To keep consumers informed, I think the DA should also identify these firms, big or small. The public would be more aware and can decide whether or not to patronize their products.

The DA should also scrutinize online meat sellers, with or without the ASF.

The ASF is no joke. In early October, the number of hog deaths connected to the disease hit 36,000 as the affliction spread throughout the country.

Sales Mekeni, I learned from industry sources, has been affected by the ASF scare. But to its credit, it has been handling the matter as it should -- practicing corporate responsibility.

Like Mekeni, other meat companies shouldn’t be afraid of taking a hit because this will only be temporary. Sales will drop, but what is important is the safety of consumers who will eventually reward them with continued patronage once their products are cleared by authorities.

Recalling products isn’t new. It has been done across industries – from medicines, food to mobile phones. In most cases, the companies survived.

But aside from probing meat processors, I hope the DA will have a more comprehensive and encompassing scrutiny of the matter.

We need a national framework that should be followed regarding such issue to guide all provinces around the country.

As it is now, different local government units are composing their own ban on ASF contaminated products. Certain provinces allow the entry of meat, but others do not.

It is risky and confusing.

The government should also address the root of the problem and prevent it from happening again in the future.

This isn’t just a safety issue after all. It is also a food security problem and an economic issue. The hog raising industry is now a P200 billion industry. Imagine that. Such an outbreak can bring the industry to its knees, if it hasn’t happened yet.

Authorities guarding the borders must be more vigilant. Travellers should also be careful and make sure they don’t bring home contaminated meat.

The DA said the virus came from smuggled meat from China. The problem of smuggling takes the spotlight once again.

The Bureau of Customs should do more to address the problem of smuggling.

Who knows what can enter the country again if they keep on looking the other way? How about animals infected with the bubonic plague?

I hope not because these days there’s already an outbreak of sorts affecting our country and no, I’m not referring to the ASF anymore.

Iris Gonzales’ email address is eyesgonzales@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at eyesgonzales.com