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TITE NATION'A IIE.DTNG NEWAPAPEN

. Friday, September 20,2019

Total ban on pork importation sought

By BESi R. BOS nlo ' Ang Magsasaka Partylist ReP. Ar-
A congressman representing the
'armers' sector on Thursday called for
l total ban on pork imPortation and
:ollection of food leftover as hog feed as
veu as other harsher measures to stop
he entry of A.frican swine fever (ASF)
n the cbuntry
gel Cabatbat, a memter of the House
Cominittee on Agriculture, made the
proposal as he aired strong suspicion
that smuggling of pork products could
be the culprit in the current ASF out-
break in several provinces, including
Rizal and Bulacan.
-- ---_--.rnrieline
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Total ban on pork... <L

galnangproblema,pinai-imbestigahan Myanmar.
natin ito (Smuggling has long been Cabatbat admitied that another
a problem. We are having it in!€sti- source of the virus could be canned
gated)," Cabatbat stated during the meat products and the use of food left-
Partylist Forum Thursdala overs as feed for pigs.
He filed House Resolution No.386 ,,Humans can become carriers of
directing the House Committee on thevirus, and the virus can also survive
Agriculture and Food to look into the even ifthe meathas beenprocessed or
status of the proliferation of ASF and canned,,,he noted.
assess its adverse impact on the swine Since government is finding dif-
industry ficulty in pinpointing the source of
The resolution also uges the House the ASF virus, Cabatbat said a total
panel 0o look into pork smuggling activi- ban bn importation of meat should be
ties at the Bureau of Customs, noting considered.
that the source of smuggled products Citing official figures, Cabatbat
could be from countries already strug- said the F260-billion hog industry is
gling against the effects ofAsn composed of 12.? million swine in the
The United Nations Food and Agri- country
culture Organization has reported ASF He said fatality rate for pigs, wart-
outbreaks in China, Vietnam, Cambo- -t00:'gqrcent.
hogs, and boars infected with ASF is
dia, North Korea, Mongolia, Laos, and '

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