BACOLOD CITY – Hog raisers in the Municipality of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, are expected to benefit from stronger market demand and improved farmgate prices after the town officially received a Recognition of Active Surveillance for African Swine Fever (RAS-ASF) from the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI).

The recognition affirms Hinoba-an's continued commitment to preventing and controlling African Swine Fever (ASF) through rigorous surveillance and biosecurity measures, enhancing confidence among livestock traders and consumers.

Hinoba-an Mayor Daph Reliquias announced the milestone through his official Facebook page on Saturday, sharing a copy of the DA-BAI certificate recognizing the municipality's successful ASF surveillance efforts.

"We have officially received the RAS certification. This is what we have been waiting for because it will encourage more buyers and livestock shippers to come to Hinoba-an," Reliquias said. "This also means better live-weight prices for our local hog producers."

According to the mayor, buyers regularly come from the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Cebu, and other areas within the Negros Island Region.

He emphasized that the municipality remains committed to ensuring a stable market for local hog raisers while maintaining strict standards for food safety and animal health.

"We have made sure that buyers from outside Hinoba-an can confidently purchase hogs here, knowing that the meat produced in our municipality is of high quality, safe for consumption, and free from African Swine Fever," he added.

The improved market confidence is already translating into higher farmgate prices. Reliquias said the live-weight price of hogs has increased from PHP110 per kilogram to PHP125 per kilogram, following an agreement with the Municipal Agriculture Office.

He also encouraged traders to offer even higher prices, ranging from PHP130 to PHP150 per kilogram or more, to help local hog raisers recover from previous losses brought about by ASF-related market disruptions.

To promote transparency and fair trading, the mayor urged livestock producers to have their animals weighed at the municipality's "Kilohan nang Bayan," ensuring accurate and standardized weighing for both buyers and sellers.

Hinoba-an, currently classified under the Yellow (Surveillance) Zone, received its official RAS-ASF recognition on July 15 after laboratory tests confirmed negative ASF results from active surveillance conducted on July 1.

The surveillance covered 1,018 hog farms across nine barangays—Alim, Bacuyangan, Bulwangan, Culipapa, Daug, Poblacion I, Poblacion II, Pook, and San Rafael—with a combined hog population of 15,764.

Samples analyzed by the Animal Disease Diagnosis and Reference Laboratory yielded negative results for ASF, paving the way for the municipality's official recognition and reinforcing its reputation as a reliable source of safe and healthy pork products.

The achievement is expected to strengthen the local livestock industry, improve farmers' incomes, and support the continued recovery of the swine sector in southern Negros Occidental.

NPO News Team I PNA-PR