Hog raisers convention tackle export prospects

Considering the “price crisis” that the country is currently facing, participants from all over the country both from the private and public sector flocked the 3-day activities of the 17th Hog Convention and Trade Exhibits held in the Cebu International Convention Center last April 24 to 26.

The 17th Hog Convention and Trade Exhibits organized by the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) was hosted by the Cebu Association of Meat and Poultry Products MPC (CAMPP).

More than 2,000 participants from all over the country gathered in the three day affair and about 120 booths exhibited wide segment of products and services important for the hog sector.

With the theme: “Enhancing Pork Production for the Export Market” stakeholders noted the significance of holding an activity that not only will boost businesses of hog raisers in the country but as well as aide in their attempt to penetrate the export market.

The event also provided an avenue to discuss current issues that are aggravating the growth of the sector such as the increasing prices of feeds, lower production in Luzon areas due to the outbreak of swine disease last year, and the rampant smuggling of agricultural products that resulted to the increase of pork prices in the market.

CAMPP president Plutarco Ong said that the annual event they are hosting also provided a venue for hog raisers especially backyard farmers to learn new techniques to grow their businesses.

“The convention gave backyard farmers guide on whatever necessary steps and knowledge they need to improve their livestock,” said Ong.

With the first ever Backyard Hog Farmers Congress which is the highlight of the convention, backyard farmers according to NFHFI president Albert R.T. Lim is optimistic that backyard farmers were able to bond themselves to be able to sell their hogs together as a group to get a good price from buyers of big volumes.

“Backyard farmers are always taken advantaged of by traders and hog buyers so it is important for them to form a group so they can demand a good price for their hogs,” he said.

Here in Cebu, backyard farmers breed 10 to 15 pigs whereas commercial producers breed more. But Neil Labrador from Lourdfel Farms Inc. located in Balamban said in a separate interview that they are currently trying to abolish this kind of mindset in order to lessen the discrimination felt by backyard producers.

He said that in General Santos even producers with two sow levels are already called as farms. He added that early this year, they have sat up buying station for Cebu raisers to control the trading prices of hogs which is also their step to help backyard raisers to gain ample profitability for their breeds.

The National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. is composed of different associations of hog farmers from all over the country and the Cebu Association of Meat and Poultry Products MPC (CAMPP) is composed of 22 meat and poultry farms that are operating within the province.

It has been the third time that Cebu hosted the annual hog convention, the first time was in 1993 and the second was in 2003. – Rhia de Pablo