Hog growers and industry players in Puerto Princesa claimed that the high cost of livestock feeds that results in the high production cost of hog growing is the main driver of the increasing pork prices in the locality downplaying the supply shortage.
In fact, for many hog raisers here, the presence of buyers based in Iloilo and Manila is considered as an income opportunity and a new market for their livestock.
Fe Alarde, a local hog grower in Inagawan village more than 60 kilometers from the city proper of Puerto Princesa said that hog buyers coming from outside Palawan as a windfall to local growers like her.
“Nakakabawi na kami sa aming pagkakalugi. Abunado po kami dati dahil binabarat kami ng mga buyers. Dahil sa taas ng presyo na kuha ng taga Iloilo kailangan nila (local hog buyers) itong tapatan kaya kailangang mag jack nila dahil sa competition,” she said.
Alarde said that she sold 15 to 20 heads monthly to local buyers who are also supplying pork products to the local public market. The difference this time is that the local buyers need to compete with Iloilo-based hog buyers.
She also said that there is no hog supply shortage in the locality because some hog raisers who previously stopped, are considering raising this time due to attractive buying prices which is now ranging from P180 to P190 per kilo.
Manuel Torrefiel who raised less than 100 heads in a small backyard piggery in Barangay Sicsican, 13 kilometers from the city proper said that they preferred Iloilo-based buyers because of their higher buying price.
City Veterinary Officer, Dr. Indira Santiago said that the average number of hogs based on the official records of the city slaughterhouse is average at 240 heads daily. She said that on Wednesday, February 28, the slaughterhouse reported that they slaughtered 210 heads and on Thursday, February 29 they slaughtered 270 heads.
“Sabi nila nauubos na daw yung baboy. Bastante naman tayo. Hindi naman kulang dahil sa average natin na 240 heads daily. Ngayon (February 29) nasa 270 tayo, ibig sabihin merong baboy,” she said.
City Legal Officer, Atty. Norman Brian Yap said that the prices of commodities are dictated by market forces. The LGU can intervene and go after unscrupulous traders if there is hoarding, cartel, price manipulation, and profiteering that exists.
“It’s a free market economy. We are not in a command economy. Talagang it’s a fair competition market, dun lang tayo papasok kung ang competition na yun ay mina-manipulate or may profiteering. Market forces will dictate the price,” he explained.
However, it was learned that local meat vendors in the city’s public market are earning merely P38 per kilo and they sold an average of three to four heads daily. The computation is based on the Department of Agriculture’s local research, thus local officials here concluded that there’s no profiteering.
Ariel Colongon, Senior Science Research Specialist of the DA identified some of the concerns and situation of the local industry such as the lack of multiplier farms which could be a source of animal stocks quality breeders, lack of locally-based feed source, limited knowledge in the proper pig husbandry technology and skills, lack of post-harvest facilities such as consolidation pen, auction market, AA slaughterhouse, cold storage, meat cutting plant, processing plant, storage, hauling corrier, among others.
“It’s time to export our product to kasi African Swine Fever (ASF) free tayo. Pwede tayo mag-Kadiwa. Maalis na natin ang middleman, kung hindi man maalis at least ma minimize natin,” he said.
City Councilor Elgin Robert Damasco who is also the chairman of the City Council’s committee on food, agriculture, and fisheries has proposed that Puerto Princesa City should consider establishing its feed mill as an economic enterprise to help the local hog industry.
“Maganda kung makapag tayo ng feedmill dito sa lungsod ng Puerto Princesa na part ng ating economic enterprise. Wala namang nagbabawal sa atin. Dapat meron tayong sariling feedmill kasi yun ang puno’t dulo ng problema. Yan ang pag aralan natin para ma-solusyonan natin itong problema na ito,” he said.
Dr. Santiago said that a national government agency offered funds for the establishment of feed mill in Puerto Princesa five years ago. However, no one accepted the offer due to the lack of locally sourced raw materials like soybean, fish meal, and corn.
But Joven Delgado of the Office of the City Agriculturist said that there are existing corn farmers in some villages in this city like Luzviminda, Napsan and Bagong Bayan. He proposes that the city government shall buy the corn products from the farmers and offer them good buying prices to encourage them to produce. Another strategy could be farm-clustering.
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