Cebu City execs to convene hog raisers amid ASF scare

Cebu City officials are set to meet with the local hog raisers today to discuss the ban on the entry of live hogs and pork products in the city amid the African Swine Fever (ASF) scare.

Mayor Edgardo Labella earlier issued an executive order banning the entry of live hogs, and pork products and by-products from areas affected by the ASF in Luzon, Mindanao, and Region 8 into the city.

City Market Administrator Irvin Cabales said the purpose of the meeting with at least 30 hog raisers is for the city to be able to help come up with measures against the ASF and the effect of such to the supply of pork.

The meeting will be attended by Councilor Phillip Zafra, and officials from the Market Operations Division, City Agriculture Department, and Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries.

Cabales said they will also talk about the report that the city still has a lot of pork supply as of now.

When asked if this would mean that the public should not be concerned for a possible shortage of supply, he answered: “Dili ingon sa dili mabalaka, but we do all the measures para ma-prevent nga maingon ani.”

“Naay ubang tawo mopahimos, manghoarding na so mao na atong gilikayan. Mao na ato gyud i-meet ang tanang hog raisers aron at least matan-aw nato unsay mabuhat sa city para makatabang pud ta nila, ma-control nato ang pagsaka sa presyo sa baboy,” he added.

Cabales said the city has already put up immediate measures against the ASF.

“This will be a joint effort of City Agriculture, DVMF, ug sa atong Market nga i-monitor na gyud from gikan sa farm to ihawan hangtod ang pagsulod diri sa market,” he said.

With regard to the price monitoring his office has been conducting, Cabales said the pork price as of yesterday lowered to P270 per kilo from P285 per kilo. This is based on the Carbon Public Market Unit 1 price.

“Nangutana ko sa mga vendors unsay hinungdan ining sigeg fluctuate unya padulong saka ang atong karneng baboy. Ang ilang tubag is ‘sir menus gyud ang supply’... Naapektuhan gyud ang atong supply sa karne diri. Knowing supply and demand nga konsepto, lisod gyud. Kun magnihit ang supply, motaas gyud ni (ang presyo),” said Cabales.

“Gipangutana nako ang mga tindero about their predictions, niana jud sila ‘sir kun padayon ni ingon ani ang sitwasyon, murag mosaka gyud ni up to P300’,” he said.

Cabales also said he received information that Manila is also getting their pork supplies from city’s suppliers considering that there is no ASF case here.

This would mean that there is a higher demand of the supply.

“Mao na nga naa gyud tay giexpect nga motaas,” said Cabales.

“Sa atong mga tawo sa Cebu City, mamalihog ta nga be vigilant. Dili ta magpataka og pamalit og karne nga dili ta sigurado as well as atong mga hog raisers, careful pud ta kay basin masudlan unya ta, peligro ang atong supplies. Tinabangay lang ta para malikayan ni,” he said.