African Swine Fever Could Cut Philippines’ Ham Sales by $780 Million
African Swine Fever Could Cut Philippines’ Ham Sales by $780 Million
(Bloomberg) -- The ban imposed by Philippine provinces on pork products from the main Luzon island in response to African swine fever will cut processed meat sales by an estimated 40 billion pesos ($780 million) annually, an industry group said.
Provinces, mostly in Visayas and in Mindanao, have implemented a total or selective ban on pork from Luzon. “We beg that rules and restrictions be based on science and expert advise,” the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. said in a statement.
The group estimates that the ban could cut sales of hams, bacons, sausages and other processed pork items by 18 billion pesos this quarter just when demand is usually higher during the Christmas holidays. Processed meat sales outside of Luzon of about 300 billion pesos annually account for 35% to 40% of total, according to the group.
The Agriculture Department last week confirmed 12,000 cases of the swine disease in the capital and nearby areas, all located on Luzon island. Additional measures, including lock down procedures in Luzon provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga where pigs have died, are under way.
To contact the reporter on this story: Andreo Calonzo in Manila at acalonzo1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Cecilia Yap at cyap19@bloomberg.net, Clarissa Batino
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