Hog raisers recovering after buying prices stabilized

AFTER THE ASF SCARE

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ROSALES – Swine farmers in Pangasinan have been recovering on their financial losses due to the scare brought by the African Swine Fever (ASF).

 Samahan ng Industriyang Agrikultura (Sinag) Chairman Rosendo So said the buying prices of the hog stabilized with the live weight hover from P110 to P115 per kilo.

“Dito tumaas na, nasa P110 to P115. Bumalik na sa normal price,” he said.

The Sinag chair cited that stakeholders in Pangasinan like Sinag, Abono Partylist, hog raisers, and others joined hand in isolating the mammoth province on the possible entries of the cloven hoof animals from the affected provinces.

ASF FREE. Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar (stripe polo shirt) is flanked by Samahan ng Industriyang Agrikultura (Sinag) Chairman Rosendo So and Deputy House Speaker and Abono Party-list Representative Conrad Estrella during the pork boodle fight in a public gymnasium at Rosales, Pangasinan to show to all and sundry that there is no African Swine Fever in the huge province. Photo Credit: Rosendo So

“Sa far dito kasi  sa atin ni isolate natin na wala ng puweding pumasok”.

In October this year Agriculture Secretary William Dar declared that affected areas of ASF reached to 22 that included the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Rizal and Quezon City.

The first case of ASF in Pangasinan was found in the same month in Barangay Apalen, Bayambang when 30 hogs were confirmed to have died of African Swine Fever.

In September 26, 2019 15 of the 30 blood samples from pigs confiscated in Barangay Baloling, Mapandan became positive with ASF. The swine came from Bulacan.

The Department of Agriculture however reversed on October its early findings that the 15 hogs were inflicted by the virus.

The spread of the ASF was prevented after the government implemented the 1-7-0 protocol where in the one-kilometer radius from the site of infection hogs were banned in entering and exiting while they were depopulated.

So cited that during the height of the ASW scare, gate prices of hog plunged to P80-P90 per kilo.

He said the break-even price of P105 per kilo will motivate the farmers to continue investing on the swine business.

He cited the small scale traders absorbed the brunt of the losses unlike those medium and large scale businessmen.

“Ya, pero ang apektado ay backyard (farmers) because dahil sila ang kailangan ibenta kaagad. Kami hinihintay talaga namin na tumaas,” he stressed.

A backyard trader needs several fixed months before he sells his hog otherwise he will incur losses on the feeds he bought in the market.

The family of So is one of the biggest of swine raisers in the 44 towns and four cities’ province.

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