The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will help address the national pork shortage by identifying localities, including island communities, which are free of the African Swine Fever (ASF), as hog production zones.
The Development Bank of the Philippines, MinDA’s banking partner, has assured of funding support for the Mindanao Hog Industry Recovery Initiative.
Using the “Islands of Hope” strategy, MinDA will engage the local government units of the ASF-free areas, especially island provinces like Camiguin and Dinagat, with the help of the private sector to institute strict bio-security measures to keep their areas clean.
Once biologically secured, MinDA will assist the LGUs in establishing a hog production program to be funded with low-interest loans from DBP.
Owners of big hog farms in Mindanao like Joaquin “Jake” Lu and Mindanao Hog Raisers Association President Eduard So said they have sufficient fatteners and breeders to support the program.
The “Islands of Hope” strategy is one of the four steps being undertaken by MinDA to initiate the recovery of the hog industry in Mindanao which was devastated by the spread of the ASF.
Nation-wide, an estimated 5.5-million hogs were killed by the ASF virus resulting in massive losses to farmers and shortage of pork supply.
To address the spread of ASF in Mindanao, MinDA has officially communicated with the Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam asking for support in accessing the ASF Vaccine which was reported to have been developed in that country.
MinDA has also asked DBP to extend substantial production loans to support big hog farms which have maintained biosecurity safeguards.
The most important initiative to be undertaken by MinDA is to convince the government economic policy makers and the Department of Agriculture to issue a clear policy which would safeguard the investments of the LGUs and the hog farmers.
“What we are afraid of is that after the logistical problems caused by the ASF and after this crisis is over, government will again allow the unimpeded entry of imported pork,” Mindanao Hog Raisers President So said.
He said that with this initiative, Mindanao’s hog industry could recover in 18 months to one year and sure sufficient supply of pork for Mindanao.
MinDA is set to conduct a virtual consultation with hog industry stakeholders in Mindanao next week in preparation for the implementation of the strategic interventions.
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(Photos of meeting with DBP President Herbosa and DBP officials were taken by Argie Leparto. File photos of hog farmers were downloaded from public websites.)
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