Just as the government started to lift the transport ban on processed meat products, various meat products were found positive for ASF.
The Bureau of Animal Industry reported that three meat samples they were testing were positive for ASF. They used real-time polymerase chain reaction tests.
The products that were ASF positive were hotdogs, longganisa, and tocino. Although, reports from the Bureau did not mention or specify the brand or where they came from.
However, the agriculture group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikulutra (Sinag) refuted that the products were local. According to them, the processed meat products were likely to be imported.
About a month ago, processed meat producers claimed that their products are ASF free after treatment. But, Sinag had something to say about their claims.
“This only proves that we should not trust the claims of processors that the ASF virus can actually be killed once it undergoes heat treatment“, stated Sinag.
Earlier in the week, the Deparment of Interior and Local Government lifted the ban on transportation of these products. This was after big producers warned of more than P50 billion in loss of sales.
Based on an article from Philstar, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors (PAMPI) expressed their concern over the reports. They also said that it may have been set up to make the industry look bad.
PAMPI spokesman Rex Agarrado said that anyone could have tainted the samples. He also stated that in their processes they have respected all the rules.
With this, Sinag wrote a letter to Agriculture Secretary William Dar. They wanted pork products to be tested for ASF at the port of first entry.
Earlier this week, the Department of the Interior and Local Government ordered the movement, distribution and sale of processed meat products despite local government units (LGUs)’s imposition of a ban as a precautionary measure against ASF.
This came after the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) warned of more than P50-billion losses in sales as its members continue to face difficulties in transporting and entering several provinces, especially with the Christmas season just around the corner.
PAMPI, on the other hand, expressed concern over the report, saying it may have been orchestrated to make the industry look worse.
“All our processes, we have respected the rules. Anyone could taint the samples,” PAMPI spokesman Rex Agarrado said in a phone interview. “And if they wanted the results out, they would not wait for another week before they release that. We are just concerned on their timing.”
The Food Safety Act of 2013 paved the way for the country to align its national sanitary and phytosanitary border measures and control to the global standard of quarantine first policy.
This means that imported food shall undergo cargo inspection and clearance procedures by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Health (DOH) at the first port of entry to determine compliance with national regulations.
“All containers with pork and pork-based imports and pork byproducts should be examined and checked 100 percent at the port of first entry,” Sinag said.
If the provision of quarantine first policy cannot be implemented at this time, the group urged the DA and DOH-Food and Drug Administration to stop issuing sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance for the importation of pork and pork-based products.
It added that importations should only be allowed once it can be established that ASF virus testing for all pork and pork-based imports can be undertaken at the port of first entry.
“We will not hesitate to file appropriate charges with the ombudsman and other appropriate courts against those that have been remiss in ensuring the full implementation of the quarantine first policy,” Sinag said.
The DA has confirmed that Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon City, Cavite and Nueva Ecija have cases of ASF. The DA has so far killed 62,000 hogs since the outbreak started in August.
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This article first appeared on Philnewsph.
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