Hog raisers in Negros Occidental join pork holiday over mounting losses

BACOLOD CITY – Some 25 associations of backyard hog raisers in Negros Occidental province have joined a three-day “pork holiday” called by the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) to protest mounting industry losses driven by government import policies and soaring production costs.

Ric Lauron, president of the Alliance of Hog Raisers Association of Negros Occidental (AHRANO) on Friday sai.that local hog raisers have been  affected by falling farmgate prices and high input costs.

During the nationwide protest, which runs from Thursday to Saturday, participating hog raisers will halt pork sales and market deliveries, Lauron explained.

He said that the 25 AHRANO member associations joined the strike to urge the national government, particularly the Department of Agriculture (DA), to address their plight and provide urgent support.

An estimated 200 to 300 pigs will be withheld from markets across Negros Occidental during the three-day period.

AGAP, in a statement, said  local hog raisers are losing millions daily due to high production expenses and stiff competition from low-priced imported pork. /gsg