ASF Hits Cotabato Towns; Meat Shortage Looms

Kidapawan City – A serious meat shortage looms in the City of Kidapawan during the coming Christmas Season as the dreaded African Swine Fever (ASF) has virtually decimated the backyard hog industry in the city and several towns nearby.
Also badly hit were the towns of Makilala, Mlang, Pres. Roxas and Antipas and many farmers have opted to slaughter their hogs to save whatever they could from their investments.
This morning, my cousin, Neri Piñol-Sodusta, who for all of his adult life had been involved with hog raising including Artificial Insemination services for our neighbors in Kidapawan City sadly told me that he decided to slaughter his hogs including his prized boars.
Neri observed that what is affecting the hogs in Kidapawan City and the nearby areas is not only ASF but also hog cholera.
“Lisod maka-recover ang mga backyard raisers,” adding that it would take years before it would be safe to raise hogs again.
With the farms empty of hogs, the City and the nearby areas are expected to suffer a meat shortage especially during the peak season which starts November and December.
Naturally, when supply is low, prices goes up.
It is time to come up with alternative programs to produce meat.