The problem has prompted officials and business leaders to seek intervention from the national government.
This, as a veterinary official aired worries of swine producers of potential income losses due to a decline in market.
This city’s swine population is pegged at 457,000 heads with around 420,000 in large-scale commercial hog farms and the rest in backyard swine-raising.
The seemingly “panicky approach” by some local government units, not the ASF, is what may endanger the swine industry in General Santos, remarked city veterinarian Dr. Antonio Ephrem S. Marin.
Marin lamented what he called the seeming lack of a general policy to harmonize efforts by LGUs to confront the effects of the animal disease to business and economy.
He said General Santos remains free from the swine virus and they “will do everything to protect the city from ASF.”
The city supplies 25,000 to 30,000 swine heads monthly to as far as Luzon and the Visayas, taking land transport since sea vessels have stopped serving the General Santos route for years now.
But after some LGUs imposed lockdowns trucks carrying swine from General Santos were forced to find other routes, which means longer travel time.
This means more expense on vehicle fuel and maintenance, more food allowance for drivers and crew and feeds for the live animals, “all these eating up much on the income of farm owners,” Catulpos said.
Catulpos believed the issue must be addressed by a national policy that will coordinate and harmonize measures and cushion the impact of the ASF outbreak, “not only on animal health aspect, but to business and economy as well.”
Marin revealed that since the ASF outbreak in Davao Occidental, there has been a decline in the transport of swine from General Santos to their traditional markets, causing potential income losses for hog raisers.
Swine raisers complained that they could not sell since two weeks ago and that their hogs are now overweight and already beyond the ideal market size of 90 to 100 kilos, he said.
This could readily mean losses to the hog raisers, he pointed out.
“Swine that were supposed to be sold last month are now at 120 kilos and growing,” he said.[]
Should such situation continue, hog traders here raised fears of a possible imbalance in the supply and demand of swine and pork products when traditional markets in Visayas and Luzon start to feel a shortage in supply.[]
