By JEN BAYLON

The Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) confirmed a rise in pork prices across the province this month.

PVO head Dr. Placeda Lemana said they anticipate further price hikes in the coming months due to local farmers selling their live pigs to traders in Panay Island, where prices are higher.

Lemana added that the main reasons for the high prices include low supply and high demand for pork in Negros Occidental and other provinces in Western Visayas.

There is no lack of supply in the province, but hog raisers prefer selling their pigs to traders outside the province compared to local traders, she said.

Based on PVO’s price monitoring, the highest price of pork in Negros Occidental reached between P373 and P400 per kilogram, while the lowest ranged from P320 to P366 per kilogram as of March 3.

Compared to the market price of P366 per kilogram on February 24, the current price increase is approximately P6.94 to P7 per kilogram.

The cheapest pork is found in Isabela town at P320 per kilogram, while the most expensive is in the municipalities of Pulupandan, San Enrique and Hinoba-an, as well as San Carlos City, where prices range from P373 to P400 per kilogram.

Lemana said hog raisers in Negros are just slowly recovering from the effects of African swine fever that adversely affected the local hog industry.

Earlier, the Department of Agriculture was set to implement a maximum suggested retail price for pork nationwide, starting yesterday, in an effort to stabilize prices and protect consumers.

However, local market dynamics in Negros Occidental continue to be influenced by regional supply and demand factors./JB, WDJ