Negros hog raisers join nationwide pork strike over import concerns

BACOLOD CITY — Pig farmers across Negros Occidental have thrown their support behind a coordinated "pork holiday" organized by the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) to highlight growing financial pressures facing the domestic livestock industry.

The three-day action involves approximately 25 associations representing backyard hog raisers in the province. Organizers have pointed to a combination of factors eroding farm profitability, including increased pork imports and escalating costs for animal feed and other production inputs.

The protest reflects broader concerns among Philippine livestock producers who have warned that current government trade policies are undercutting local market prices and threatening the viability of small and medium-scale farming operations. Industry leaders argue that without policy adjustments, many family farms face potential closure.

The coordinated stoppage underscores mounting tensions between agricultural groups and policymakers over the balance between import liberalization and domestic sector protection. Participation from Negros Occidental, a major livestock-producing region, suggests the issue has gained significant traction among farming communities nationwide.