Extending support to stabilize local retail price of pork in Metro Manila, DA-10 and NORMINHOG send off 580 hogs to the country’s capital with the government providing P21 per kilo as transport assistance.

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) in coordination with Northern Mindanao Hog Raisers Association (NORMINHOG) send off 580 heads hog to Metro Manila on Tuesday, February 15.

Leading the activity were DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness Marketing, Kristine Y. Evangelista with DA-RFO 10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga and NORMINHOG representatives Daisy C. Taga-an and Grant Amoncio.

The initiative is to provide transportation assistance to local hog raisers in stabilizing local retail price of pork in Metro Manila based on the memorandum issued by DA Secretary William D. Dar in support to the imposition of Executive Order 124 of President Duterte on the mandated price ceiling on select pork and chicken products in the National Capital Region.

Collado said, “This is the first shipment of hogs for Metro Manila after the government set the price ceiling. DA will provide P21 per kilo as transport assistance and we are hoping that this will continue after the 60-day period, and Northern Mindanao can share in sending live hogs to Metro Manila.”

Eight hog vans containing an average weight of 107 per kilo per hog are expected to arrive in North Port, Tondo, Manila on February 17 in the afternoon, via Oceanic Container Lines, Inc. which are intended for Metro Manila.

“Although VisMin has been sending hogs last year, but because of the price ceiling and the buying capacity of the consumers, DA stepped in again, this time through transport assistance. The department is shouldering the expense of the logistics, bringing the hogs from CDO to Metro Manila para our meat dealers can get it at farm gate price,” ASec Evangelista explained.

She added, Sec. Dar has also been talking to hog raisers all over the country to augment supply in Metro Manila that used to come from regions 4A and 3 that were affected with African Swine Fever (ASF).

The transported hogs were from the commercial farms of NORMINHOG members which include Opol Chona’s farm, MG farm, D&C farm and Shamus farm.

NORMINHOG President Leon G. Tan shared, their shipment is the answer to DA Sec. William D. Dar’s call on patriotism.

“This is the support for the Filipino people from the Northern Mindanao Hog Raisers Association in Northern Mindanao. This will not be the last and hopefully we can support more,” Tan concluded.

NORMINHOG is an association of hog growers in Northern Mindanao with a total registered member of 30 commercial farms.

The activity was facilitated by the DA-10 AMAD and DA-Bureau of Animal Industry – National Veterinary Quarantine Service (DA-BAI-NVQS).

Also present was NICA 10 Director Manuel Orduña. # (ATCabig)