In a bid to help local backyard raisers struggling against low farmgate prices and the lingering impact of African swine fever or ASF, the Negros Occidental government is considering the establishment of a minimum buying price for hogs and retail prices for pork.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government is studying the imposition of a floor price to shield local producers from further economic collapse.
The initiative has drawn support from the Alliance of Hog Raisers Association of Negros Occidental.
Alliance leader Ric Lauron confirmed to The STAR that they had submitted a position paper to Lacson, through the provincial veterinary office, to call for an immediate government price regulation.
Lauron said liveweight prices have plunged sharply to between P110 and P120 per kilo across the province, with only a few localities seeing procurement prices peak at P130 per kilo.
The hog raisers said that even at P130 per kilo, the rate would still be insufficient to cover the current steep costs of feed and overall production.
They appealed for a regulated minimum liveweight price of between P160 and P180 per kilo.
‘The ASF outbreaks in several towns and cities severely affected supply and prices. Without intervention, many small hog raisers will be forced to close,’ Lauron said.
According to the group, the establishment of a floor price for hogs and pork would stabilize supply and help safeguard the industry.
Based on data from the provincial veterinary office, 2,338 hogs have died due to ASF in 17 localities.
The figure represents 2.57 percent of the combined hog population of 90,981 in the affected areas.