Meat processors to boycott domestic pork as ASF measure
MEAT processors said they will not purchase pork from domestic farmers to assure the public about their products’ safety amid an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in hog farms around Luzon.
“We believe that it is safer for the meat processing industry not to buy local pork until they are able to assure government authorities and the consuming public that local pork is ASF-free,” Philippine Association of Meat Processors, Inc. (PAMPI) Rex B. Agarrado said in a statement.
The industry is currently battling against local government restrictions on the movements of its products, with provinces and towns reluctant to risk infection of their own farms.
PAMPI generally imports 95% of its pork and will switch entirely to 100%, sourcing from countries not affected by ASF. It expects to lose P40 billion in sales if its products do not regain freedom of movement in time for the year-end holidays, the peak sales period for products like hams.
“Repeated assurances by health authorities that ASF does not pose any risk to the health of humans will have no value and meaning for the meat processing industry and consumers as well if its products are intercepted and confiscated on the way to market or sent back to the factories,” Mr. Agarrado added.
PAMPI is the country’s largest group of meat processors. It has 88 member-companies, generating about P300 billion in sales and directly employing 150,000 workers.
Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) Chairman Rosendo O. So said in a text message that the domestic pork boycott will have “no effect at all,” adding that 80% of processors in the country are not members of PAMPI.
SINAG reiterated that domestic pork is safe and that its supports other meat processors who support hog farmers.
National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc. (NFHFI) Chairman and President Chester Warren Y. Tan said that the group also considers pork from Philippine farms to be safe.
“Hindi namin alam kung bakit nila (PAMPI) nabanggit iyan. Basta sa amin, local pork is safe, (We do not know why PAMPI made that statement. As far as we are concerned, local pork is safe)” he told reporters. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang
