Hog Festival aims to set world record for most pork dishes on display

More than 300 pork-based dishes will be featured at the Hog Festival this March in Quezon City and Marikina, Bernadette Reyes reported on 24 Oras. 

Organizers of the event, which is meant to support a recovering hog industry, said they will try to set the record for the most number of pork dishes on display at the same time, which will also be shared with festival attendees.

“Because of the African Swine Fever, nasiraan ng loob ang industriya e. So we want everybody to live again, mag-repopulate ulit, at buhayin mga allied industries,” said Durian Tan, Convenor, National Federation of Hog Farmers Incorporated.  

(Because of the African Swine Fever, the industry is discouraged. So we want everybody to live again, to repopulate again, and revive allied industries.)

Aside from helping restaurants and culinary students in preparing pork dishes, the festival also aims to ensure the safety of consumers through proper and sanitary food preparation.

“Dapat alam din ng mga restaurants yung food safety and sanitation and how all these products are being processed before makain ng mga consumers,” said QC Tourism Department Officer-In-Charge Maria Teresa Tirona. 

(Restaurants should also know about food safety and sanitation and how all these products are processed before consumers can eat them.)

“In this event, we see to it that the pork to be cooked are safe and locally sourced and ASF free,” City Veterinarian 1 Ana Marie Cabel noted. 

Even with initiatives to reinvigorate the hog industry, the high cost of production remains a challenge.

“‘Yung mga inputs na tinatawag feeds, bakuna, ‘yung transportation, lahat po tumaas eh lalong lalo na yung mais. Actually from 16 pesos 15 pesos last 2018 I think. Ngayon nasa 20 to 25 pesos,” said Rodolfo Ona Jr., Vice President, National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc. (NatFed). 

(The inputs such as feeds, vaccines, and transportation, all increased, especially corn. Actually, from 16 pesos to 15 pesos last 2018, I think. Now it's 20 to 25 pesos.)

These factors affect the price of pork in the market. In Litex Market in QC, kasim (pork shoulder) is worth P330 per kilo while liempo (pork belly) is at P350. 

However, based on the latest price monitoring by the Department of Agriculture (DA), pork prices have reached P400 per kilo in some Metro Manila markets.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said that the price of kasim should only range from P280 to P300 and liempo must only cost P350 per kilo.

“Ang farmgate nasa P200 so sana nasa 350 lang maximum ang retail price. We are coordinating with the Department of Agriculture kung paano siya mapapababa kasi ang farmgate ngayon P200. May problema talaga tayo sa logistics tsaka sa value chain hindi lang baboy, pati manok, pati bigas,” said SINAG Executive Director Jayson Cainglet.

(The farmgate is at P200 so hopefully, the retail price is only at P350 maximum. We are coordinating with the Department of Agriculture on how to lower it if the farm gate is now P200. We really have a problem with logistics in addition to the value chain, not only for pork but also chicken and rice.)

Farmgate price refers to the price received by farmers for the sale of their crops, livestock, and poultry at the location of  the farm.

GMA Integrated News has reached out to the DA for comment on the issue.—Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News