Albert R.T. Lim Jr., NFHFI president, said their group strongly believes in the sincerity and dedication of the senator to uplift the plight of the local hog raiser as well as small traders in the country.
"We believe that the swine industry can be a positive force for rural development, food security ad national growth but this can only be realized if we receive appropriate support and protection from the government," Lim said.
"Sen. Jaworski has likewise proven his integrity in supporting the plight of the small businessmen by filing and successfully enacting the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. We firmly believe that hog farmers especially the backyard hog raisers will get assistance from the government through their cooperatives," Lim asserted.
The senator has continued to strongly express his opposition against the importation of meat products from countries not declared FMD-free by the Office International Des Epizooties and has laid some solutions to the crisis like giving financial assistance to backyard hog raisers through their cooperatives, improvement of corn production as well as better storage facilities of corn in the country.
NFHFI national chairman, Nemesio G. Co also stated that there is a need for the government to stop the additional decrease in tariffs on all meat imports which adversely affects the local meat dealers and hog raisers. He emphasized that the government must support the local hog industry and stay away from thinking of pork importation as an option to solve the problem.
"Working hand in hand with the government can make the local producers successfully compete with the imported goods. Economic policies must facilitate the flow of resources and minimize the production cost. Hog farming must be encouraged and developed to make it export-oriented and consumer-oriented," Co declared.