DAVAO CITY – A local association of commercial hog raisers want the government to take steps to open export markets.
“We need to open markets so many will begin to invest,” said Edward So, president of the Davao Hog Raisers Association.
So said the country has yet to achieve “carcass balancing” or has been importing “waste cuts” from other countries including “fat” and not prime cuts because local production cannot meet local demands.
“Davao City hog raisers can only supply the city, sometimes barely enough. Cagayan de Oro and General Santos (have excess supply so they) sell it to Visayas and Luzon,” said So.
He said Mindanao ships about 20,000 hogs to Visayas and Manila monthly.
“We buy junk (from other countries) as we don’t consume secondary cuts. We eat everything. For example, in Singapore loin (for bacon) is at P400 to P500 (per kilo) but the price of our pata (loin) is the same,” said So.
So said if local producer manages to export primal cuts “there is no need for the country to import.”
So said Indonesia, Singapore, Hongkong and China as viable export markets.
“They can supply the domestic market, but we advise them to increase the number of their hogs so they can meet the demand,” he said.
So encouraged hog raisers to attend the Davao Trade Expo from 25th to the 27th of this month to discuss such on issues.(davaotoday.com)
