By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) continues to monitor the province’s ports against African swine fever (ASF).

PVO head, Dr. Placida Lemana said the current ban on pork and poultry products from ASF-affected areas remains in place.

The current monitoring against ASF has also been stepped up further as 14 local government units in Panay and two in Guimaras are already affected.

Data from the PVO showed that from January 1 to 8, they confiscated 162 kilos of pork products with a market value of over P151,000.

At BREDCO Port in Bacolod City alone, every passenger arriving from outside the province is being checked to make sure that they are not carrying any pork or poultry products.

PVO personnel are also guarding the Banago Port, the Bacolod-Silay Airport, as well as the ports in the cities of Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, and San Carlos, and in E.B. Magalona town.

Recently, a vehicle carrying 20 piglets from Negros Oriental was ordered to return to its place of origin after failing to provide the required documents, the PVO said.

Negros Occidental has a P6 billion swine industry, while the province’s poultry industry is pegged at P8 billion.

The entry of ASF and bird flu in the province will not only negatively impact the livelihood of the Negrenses, but it could severely damage the province’s ability to produce food, as Negros Occidental is also one of the top food producers and exporters in the Visayas./DGB, WDJ