By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

As the number of hog deaths continues to increase in Negros Occidental, the prices of liveweight pork have also declined over the past few weeks.

In a radio interview, Ric Lauron, president of the Alliance of Hog Raisers Association of Negros Occidental, said the price of pigs in auction markets is between P80 and P90, the lowest price recorded this year.

Lauron said even breeding pigs, which used to be sold for P3,500, are now being bought by traders for only P1,000.

He also admitted that some buyers are still haggling with hog raisers.

He noted that is far better as raisers could still earn a little than seeing their hogs die.

As of the latest monitoring by the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), 14,014 pigs have already died in the province, with losses now pegged at P157 million.

Earlier, provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said the number of swine mortalities in the province continues to decrease.

PVO data showed the province has logged only 140 to 150 swine deaths over the past few days.

The numbers are far from the over 400 hog mortalities recorded every day in previous weeks.

Several local government units said their hog stocks have already been depleted.

Other localities are confident that they will be able to protect their swine population against diseases such as hog cholera and African swine fever (ASF).

Diaz further emphasized that the provincial government aims to provide financial assistance of P2,000 before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October.

The non-government organization Project Hope will also extend assistance to over 400 hog raisers.

Currently, only capital Bacolod City and the Negros Occidental cities of Silay and Victorias, and the municipalities of Hinigaran and Pulupandan have confirmed ASF cases./DGB, WDJ