Pork producers support Marcos taking agri post
The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines, Inc., (ProPork) has expressed its support to the new Department of Agriculture (DA) leadership, saying it’s a boost to the local producers, especially for livestock.
“With President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., now on top, he can easily influence bigger budget for DA that would support priority projects for food sufficiency and security amid the looming global food crisis,” said ProPork president Rolando E. Tambago in a statement.
Tambago, who is also the chairman of Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative (CeViPPCo) said the President’s decision to directly handle DA, “rather than appoint who cannot effect positive change in the industry that would address the current food crisis,” is a good move.
I believe President Bongbong Marcos fully understands the problem that our local agriculture is facing in relation to food sufficiency, the reason why he wanted to personally lead DA,” Tambago said.
In a press conference held June 5, 2022, Marcos said that the Philippines still has to depend on pork importation blaming the lingering ASF (African Swine Flu) and issue of feeds supply are few of the impending concerns that livestock sector on local pork production is facing.
According to Marcos Jr. the ASF [issue] is uncontrollable, thus DA has to come up with strategic supply measure.
Marcos Jr. directed the DA Executive Committee to fully prepare for the impending food crisis that is already affecting other countries.
“We are already in a disadvantageous position in terms of food supply. We should really pay close attention to what we can do,” President Marcos, who is also the Agriculture Secretary, said during the first Executive Committee Meeting of DA under his leadership.
He ordered the DA officials to attend to the food supply concerns by increasing local production, particularly of rice, corn, livestock, and poultry.
“We have to think very hard about making sure that people have sufficient food, that is number one, at the price that they can afford. Because again, it’s useless to have food if they cannot afford it anyway,” the President stressed on the importance not only of food availability and accessibility, but also of food affordability.