DAVAO CITY — After incurring huge losses and with the recent shortage of meat in the markets, the city government of Kidapawan has started to repopulate the backyard swine raisers by providing piglets to farmers affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF).
As of March 31, the city government has distributed some 258 in the different barangays hardly hit by ASF.
City Veterinarian Dr. Eugene Gornez theorized that the current meat shortage could be the offshoot of the depopulation of swine after the city decided to depopulate thousands of pigs to cushion the further spread of ASF in the city.
The move to repopulate, according to Gornez, is to respond to the meat shortage in the market and increase prices due to shortage.
Kidapawan City meat vendors used to sell pork meat at P210 but recent shortage prompted meat vendors to increase the price to P280 per kilo.
Narcesa Carbon, President of Kidapawan City Meat Vendors Association in an interview said their sales increased because some meat dealers opted to temporarily stop due to the scarcity of hogs.
The city government also provided feeds to the beneficiaries and is hoping that after three months, the meat supply in the market will increase.
The repopulation is part of the city’s Food Security and Economic Resiliency Plan.-Randy I. Patches
