THE National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS) in Mindanao has urged local governments in the Caraga region to put up their own government-certified slaughterhouse to ensure food safety for ordinary consumers.
Kennedy Sunico, regional director of the NMIS Caraga region, told the Department of Agriculture (DA) radio program Bahandi sa Kaumahan, in Butuan City the government is targeting to put up one facility in each town.
Of the 73 municipalities and cities in the region, only 27 have their own slaughter house, “thus, the NMIS is coordinating with the respective municipalities or cities to help establish meat-processing plant,” Sunico said in a statement carried by the information office of the DA in Caraga.
The establishment of a slaughterhouse in each town would ensure its facilities, and operation would be covered by national food-safety standards because the facility would be certified by the NMIS.
Sunico said the NMIS call on local governments to establish their own slaughterhouse goes with the assurance the NMIS would pass the standard of a registered slaughterhouse.
With the slaughterhouse nearby, the safety of the meat would not be compromised by exposure to long travel when done elsewhere.
Sunico added local government units (LGU,) which do not have their own slaughterhouse, may coordinate with the NMIS office “for the necessary procedures and for possible access of government interventions.”
“LGUs may avail themselves of the 50-50 counterparting scheme, wherein the amount to establish the slaughterhouse would be partly funded by the DA-NMIS or the LGU applicant may opt to access the small-scale meat establishment program,” he said.
Under the small-scale meat-establishment program, a new scheme in the NMIS, the LGU may avail itself of the P3-million slaughterhouse project. Its counterpart is only the lot, access road, water and electricity system and its maintenance.
“Such project serves as the center of trade and commerce for livestock and poultry industry as it triggers more players in trading and more farmer producers will be encouraged with the presence of the nearby meat processing,” Sunico added.
The NMIS has, likewise, urged the LGUs to have at least one meat inspector to ensure safe meat is sold in its market.
“The LGU may coordinate with our office for a meat-inspector training,” Sunico said.
He added the slaughterhouse “is vital for Caraga region as a tourism destination, where food safety is a necessity for the tourists, as well as the Caraganon consumers, in general.”