Native pigs bring P140M to Marinduque

BOAC, Marinduque—Raising native pigs has grown into a P100-million industry in this province, according to Marinduque’s top veterinarian.

Last year alone, according to provincial veterinarian Dr. Josue Victoria, the province sold 64,016 native pigs with an estimated value of P140.8 million.

Records at the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) showed that in 2010, 48,960 organically grown pigs were sold, earning for pig raisers in the province a gross income of P107.7 million.

Victoria said the amounts could be higher since PVO came up with the figures based only on what he said were modest estimates.

If the weight of each pig sold would be taken into consideration, Victoria said the figures would be much higher because native pigs in the province weigh from 20 to 35 kilograms each.

Half of the province’s pigs are shipped out while the other half are consumed locally, said the provincial veterinarian.

The province appears to be on track to maintain its sales record this year. As of May 31 this year, Victoria’s office has recorded at least 17,343 pigs sold.

Live pigs from Marinduque are usually sought by meat traders and dealers from Metro Manila because the island has long been declared free from foot-and-mouth disease and because the province’s native pigs are considered ideal for roasting.

Hog growers in other parts of the country are not as fortunate, however.

Many hog growers in Central Luzon are complaining of declining sales as a result of the unabated smuggling of pork into the country.

No action has been taken, however, on the continuing smuggling of pork and other meat products into the country despite protests made by local hog growers that their industry is dying as a result of imported meat flooding the markets.

The hog growers threatened to go on a pork holiday to demonstrate their disappointment over the failure of government to act on their complaints.