In Mandaue City Pork producers seek lower inspection fees

CEBU, Philippines - Pork producers in Mandaue City yesterday asked the Mandaue City council to scrap the increase on meat inspection fees.

The appeal was raised by Stephen Castillo, president of Sunpride Foods Inc.

Castillo said the city ordinance increasing the ante mortem permit fee from P3 per hog to P5 and the post mortem regulatory service from P0.25 to  P0.75 that took effect last January has created more fly-by-night slaughterhouses in the city and has driven away Sunpride’s clients to other cities.

He said the city’s new inspection rates are the highest in the country today.

He hopes the city council will amend the two sections of the revised market code.

Castillo said Sunpride plans to put up the newest and biggest slaughterhouse in the country but the new rates might compromise the plan.

Rolando Tambago, president of the Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative, said most pork producers have their hogs slaughtered in Mandaue because only Sunpride has a Triple A accreditation from the National Meat Inspection Service.

He said under the new rates, 32 member companies of their group lose around P10 million every year.   (FREEMAN)