Negros Occidental keeps lead in swine production

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The province of Negros Occidental continues to be the top producer of hogs in Western Visayas from 1994 to present.

This was based on the livestock inventory of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), according to the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO).

Based on the PSA livestock inventory report, the province had a swine population of 473,517 heads and 467,955 heads in January 2021 and April 2021, respectively.

It was followed by Iloilo with 408,270 heads in January, and 406,707 heads in April; and Capiz with 129,786 heads in January, and 127,681 in April.

The swine production status of the province has been sustained by various programs and projects initiated by the provincial government anchored on Abanse Negrense Development Agenda on agricultural productivity and food security such as the operationalization of four (4) Swine Artificial Insemination and Laboratory Centers as well as distribution of 1,000 heads breeder piglets to hog raisers last year.

Although there has been a decrease of 40,633 heads in inventory of backyard swine population from 410,088 heads to 369,455 from January to April 2021, the same has been covered-up by the increase in commercial production by 35,071 heads (from 63,429 to 98,500 heads) which enabled the province to maintain its production ranking to where it is right now.

For the same period, PSA records showed that the province steadily placed 4th with 467,955 heads for the whole Philippines in backyard and commercial swine production combined, while Bukidnon was leading with 671,363 heads.

In 2021, the province is embarking to distribute another 500 breeder piglets and 200 pure breed gilts under its Provincial Animal Genetic Improvement Program (PAGIP) which aimed to boost further the swine productivity.

In support of the productivity effort, the province through the PVO is strengthening the production base of backyard swine raisers through expansion of hog raisers association membership with current 6,120 backyard hog raisers listed as new members of Alliance of Hog Raisers Association in Negros Occidental (AHRANO), and extension of technical assistance in the form of giving technical trainings to backyard raisers which has levelled-up into commercial production.