A major hog raising cooperative in Oriental Mindoro is opposing the entry of slaughter pigs into the province, instead advocating for a strategic breeding program to address severe pork shortages caused by African Swine Fever outbreaks that have devastated the livestock industry.

The Naujan Hog Raisers Agriculture Cooperative, formerly the Naujan Hog Raisers Association, has submitted a position paper titled “No to Entry of Slaughter Pigs in Oriental Mindoro to Provide Affordable Pork Supply,” arguing that importing superior breeding stock rather than slaughter-ready animals offers a more sustainable long-term solution to the province’s pork crisis.

The cooperative’s position paper comes as Oriental Mindoro deals with catastrophic livestock losses that began with African Swine Fever outbreaks in late 2023.

According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, hog inventory in the province plummeted by 17.76 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the previous quarter, with the situation deteriorating further throughout 2024 to reach a devastating 64.2 percent decline compared to 2023 levels.

However, the first quarter of 2025 brought encouraging signs of recovery, with hog inventory increasing by 300 percent compared to the previous quarter, marking what the cooperative calls “the first sign of recovery” from the crisis that has severely impacted food security and farmer livelihoods.

The Naujan group projects that if current recovery trends continue with quarterly inventory increases of 50 percent, Oriental Mindoro could not only recover but actually exceed pre-African Swine Fever production levels by the end of 2025.

Their projections show inventory rising from 6,804.26 metric tons in the first quarter of 2025 to 22,964.45 metric tons by the fourth quarter, resulting in total annual production of 55,284.76 metric tons that would surpass the 2023 pre-outbreak level of 42,271.13 metric tons.

The cooperative argues that importing high-quality breeding stock instead of relying on slaughter-ready pigs or frozen meat imports would provide multiple strategic advantages for the province’s recovery.

They contend that superior breeding programs would guarantee continuous hog production while reducing dependence on external meat supplies, improve genetic quality to increase growth rates and disease resistance, and strengthen farming operations.

The organization also stressed economic benefits, arguing that supporting Mindoro-based hog raisers through breeding importation would help employment and income within the province rather than benefiting suppliers from neighboring areas.

They cite biosecurity considerations as well, noting that controlled breeding programs carry lower disease risks compared to importing slaughter-ready animals from potentially affected areas.

Provincial Veterinarian Grimaldo C. Catapang has acknowledged the crisis, noting in a June 5, 2025 letter that the high cost of pork in the province has prompted the provincial government to seek ways to provide affordable pork supply accessible to all residents.

The crisis has prompted regulatory responses at the municipal level.

The Municipality of Naujan has implemented Municipal Executive Order No. 25-036, which provides guidelines for the temporary sale, import, and transport of frozen pork while maintaining strict controls on live animal entry.

The order allows regulated frozen pork distribution in specific barangays but maintains that live pig entry to Naujan remains strictly prohibited until the municipality’s African Swine Fever zoning status is officially upgraded from RED to PINK classification by the Bureau of Animal Industry.

The executive order permits frozen pork sales for daily home consumption in designated areas including Poblacion 1, 2, and 3, Barcenaga, Pagkakaisa, San Agustin I, and Pinagsabangan II, with strict quantity limits of five kilograms per consumer and requirements that purchases not be for resale.

PROVINCIAL CONSULTATIVE MEETING
The June 10, 2025 consultative meeting at Mangyan Hall in the Oriental Mindoro Capitol has concluded with stakeholders presenting divergent views on the controversial issue of allowing live pig entry into the province.

The meeting, led by the Provincial Veterinary Office under Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Grimaldo Catapang with Veterinarian IV Dr. Alfredo Manglicmot facilitating discussions, brought together Municipal Agriculture Officers, hog raiser association members from various towns and cities, and representatives from the Department of Agriculture MIMAROPA region, Department of Trade and Industry, and other industry stakeholders.

Participants expressed varying perspectives on the matter, but many attendees pointed to the high price of live weight pigs as the primary problem they face, which has driven up meat prices in the market.

Several stakeholders indicated their willingness to support allowing live pig entry from outside the province if it would help reduce meat prices for consumers.

The Department of Agriculture MIMAROPA representative disclosed that the agency is currently studying the possibility of implementing a Maximum Suggested Retail Price for pork in provinces affected by high prices, including Oriental Mindoro.

The potential price control mechanism could provide regulatory relief for consumers struggling with elevated pork costs.

At the meeting’s conclusion, Legal Assistant III Attorney Jake Magsisi of the Provincial Legal Office said that the Provincial Government would carefully study the issue based on the recommendations presented during the consultation.

He announced that relevant agencies would hold meetings to develop the most effective solution, which would be promptly communicated to affected agencies, associations, and individuals.

File photo courtesy of Frozone Marketing (used for illustration purposes only)