News Update Hog raisers complain on rising pork offal imports

ROSALES, Pangasinan - The Northern Luzon Hog Raisers Cooperative (NLHRC) warned the public Wednesday about the possible health risks posed by the continuing increase in the volume of imported pork offal as a cover by meat importers to technically smuggle choice pork cuts into the country. Pork offal consists of a pig's liver, lips, skin, cheeks, and ears. NLHRC chief Rosendo So said the government does not have the capacity to determine whether the frozen meat inside refrigerated container vans from other countries contain offal or choice pork cuts. "The Customs personnel inspect just one out of every 10 refrigerated container vans," So said. "What if the other nine refrigerated container vans contain choice pork cuts?" So claimed that majority of the imported pork offal that enters the country comes from the United States and Canada where pork offal is treated as waste products. "Yung basura ng United States at Canada ay dito nila itinatapon sa Pilipinas (The trash of the United States and Canada is being dumped in the Philippines)," So said. So said he believes the large volume of imported offal does not supplement the meat requirements of the Filipinos because pork offal is basically used for sisig. In this regard, the hog raisers are complaining that the very large volume of imported offal has been giving them undue competition and puts the health of the people at risk. "Imported pork offal is being sold in the wet markets," So said. "The safety of the meat is compromised when it goes through defrosting and freezing and defrosting again. This is where possible contamination of the offal may take place and risk the health of the consuming public," he said.