Imported meat flood Dagupan
STOCKS of frozen imported meat, bearing the seal of the National Meat and Inspection Service (NMIS), have been flooding Dagupan, prompting local vendors to call on the city government to impose regulation or a ban to protect the local meat industry.
Acting Mayor Belen Fernandez, responding immediately to the matter brought to her attention on Wednesday, called Assistant Agriculture Secretary Brian Balingit for a clarification and the latter confirmed that the importation is authorized by the national government.
The imported meat are selling P70 lower at P160 per kilo than fresh meat sourced from the double A slaughterhouse in Mangaldan being sold at P230 per kilo.
“Per Asst. Sec. Balingit, the government began importing meat to fill the gap caused by the loss of too many hogs during the typhoons ‘Ondoy’ and ‘Pepeng’,” Fernandez said. The local government, however, is empowered to inspect the meat to make sure that these are fit for human consumption, according to Balingit.
Fernandez told the local vendors, led by their president Eduardo Cervantes, that the city government cannot stop the frozen imported meat from being brought to Dagupan but it vowed to regulate the entry to protect people’s health.
Local vendors complained, however, that some dealers are delivering directly to small eateries in Dagupan and other parts of Pangasinan, which does not allow for inspection by authorities.
Fernandez directed City Veterinarian Fernando Bancheran to conduct a thorough inspection of the products that are delivered to three outlets in the meat market at 3:00 a.m. daily.
Upon the suggestion of Councilor Jesus Canto, Fernandez also ordered Bancheran to take samples of the frozen imported meat for laboratory analysis on salmonella bacteria.
At the same time, Fernandez said the city council may consider adopting an ordinance to further regulate the entry of frozen imported meat and meat products to protect the health of the consumers.
Fernandez herself conducted a market inspection at 3:00 a.m. last week during which she witnessed the delivery of frozen meat equivalent to 20 hogs.
Fernandez recommended to local vendors that since consumers still prefer fresh meat to put up signs or tags in their stalls to identify which are freshly-slaughtered pork.—LM
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