Government urged to allow hograisers to import meat at zero tariff

MANILA - A group of Filipino meat processors on Wednesday urged government to allow local hograisers to import meat at zero tariff amid the impact of the African swine flu on local supply.

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The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc has written to Agriculture Secretary William Dar, said its president Felix Tiukinhoy Jr.

"'Yung hinihiling namin kay Secretary Dar is that bigyan ng opportunity 'yung mga hograisers… to allow them to import 50,000 metric tons kasi sila ang natamaan ng ASF (African swine fever)," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(We asked Secretary Dar to give hograises the opportunity to import 50,000 metric tons of meat because they were hit the hardest by ASF.) 

"Ang dami nilang losses, para makabawi naman sila."

(So they can take back their huge losses.)

The group also urged government to allow the display of frozen meat in public markets for the meantime.

"'Wag muna ibawal 'yung ganun para lang makapasok 'yung frozen meat na magiging mababa ang presyo para sa mga kababayan natin," Tiukinhoy said.

(Don't prohibit this for the meantime so frozen meat can be bought at a lower price.)

"'Yung frozen meat products mas mabuti 'to kesa fresh meat. Better to kasi bacteria nito hindi madali makapasok. 'Yung fresh meat natin sa wet market nakaladlad lang d'yan eh."

(Frozen meat products are better than fresh meat, bacteria doesn't easily get inside. Fresh meat in wet markets are just put on display.)