Be careful with cheap pork circulating in the market

Recently, pork sold on sidewalks and near some markets has shown signs of increasing in some localities with unusually low prices. What is worrying is that this situation is occurring in the context of the increasingly complicated developments of African swine fever, causing heavy losses to the livestock industry, requiring functional agencies and commune-level authorities to strengthen control.

Pork prices are unusually cheap.

Recently, at around 3pm, on Tan Tien Street (the back gate of Pom Han Market), Cam Duong Ward, the buying and selling of pork is bustling. Dozens of pork stalls with all kinds of meat such as heads, intestines, shoulders, hams, rumps, pork belly, etc. are displayed on tables and on the sidewalk.

Very cheap pork is sold on the edge of Pom Han market.

Posing as a consumer, the reporter approached the pork stall of a woman who introduced herself in Lang Moi village, Hop Thanh commune. Choosing a piece of pork belly without ribs weighing about 3 kg, the reporter offered 60,000 VND/kg, and the seller immediately agreed. Thus, it can be seen that this pork stall has an unusually cheap price, only about 40% of the price of the same type of pork with quarantine stamps from authorities sold in the market.

Continuing to the pork stall of a woman who introduced herself as M, in Peng village, Hop Thanh commune, the reporter suggested buying regularly in large quantities to make food, Ms. M revealed: "In the morning, my family sells 2 pigs, in the afternoon, 2 pigs. The pork belly is bad, has a little smell, and is sold for 40,000 VND/kg".

Not only Pom Han market, the area around Kim Tan market, Lao Cai ward also has meat stalls selling cheap meat. Approaching the man at the meat stall on a motorbike, the reporter was offered to buy loin, rump, and pork belly for only 70 thousand VND/kg.

This man introduced himself as buying live pigs for 70,000 VND/kg in Y Ty commune to slaughter and sell, and had a quarantine stamp. But when the reporter asked to see the quarantine stamp, the seller could not find the stamp.

A pork merchant who has been selling pork for many years in Pom Han market said: "Pork belly costs 140,000 VND/kg. Cheap pork sold on the sidewalk is likely to be smelly or diseased."

It can be seen that the extremely cheap pork sold on the sidewalks and near some markets in recent times is very unusual. However, to determine whether it is sick pork or infected with disease or not, the authorities need to check.

Strengthening management and inspection by authorities

The trading and consumption of cheap pork without quarantine marks is not only a violation of the law, but can also cause serious consequences. Pork is not strictly controlled, freely bought, sold and transported if it is infected with disease, it will become a source of dangerous virus infection.

On July 24, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee issued a document directing departments, branches and local units in the province to drastically and synchronously implement measures to prevent and control African swine fever; assigning relevant agencies and units to prevent and strictly handle acts of illegal trading and transportation of pigs and pork products according to law.

Some consumers look to buy cheap pork sold at Pom Han market.

The rib-less pork belly costs 60,000 VND/kg, much cheaper than pork with quarantine stamp in the market.

To prevent and repel this situation, in recent times, communes, wards and functional agencies in the province have stepped up propaganda and mobilized people not to trade, sell and use unquarantined pork. At the same time, they have inspected and controlled cases of trading pork of unknown origin, without quarantine marks and strictly handled according to the provisions of law.

However, controlling unquarantined pork is quite difficult, especially in the context of administrative units that have just been reorganized; the control system has not yet stabilized, information is not synchronized and the monitoring process still has many shortcomings. In addition, the challenge is multiplied by the fact that pork sales points operate without any rules.

Cam Duong commune authorities inspect and handle cases of selling pork of unknown origin and without quarantine stamps.

It is necessary to strengthen propaganda work to raise people's awareness, not to trade or use pork of unknown origin and not guaranteed quality.

Consumers need to be extremely careful when buying pork at unusually cheap prices. Always prioritize buying meat at reputable markets, supermarkets, and food stores with full quarantine stamps.

In order to prevent the sale of uninspected pork, authorities at all levels need to continue to promote propaganda and raise public awareness of the harmful effects of buying, selling and using pork of unknown origin and not being quarantined; encourage people to promptly report suspected cases of trading in "dirty" meat to authorities; instruct people on how to identify and distinguish between healthy pork and diseased pork; and strictly handle cases of trading and transporting uninspected pork.

Mr. Ninh Tran Phuong, Deputy Head of the Department of Cultivation, Plant Protection, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Aquatic Products, said: In case of an epidemic, livestock farmers need to immediately notify local authorities to promptly handle the outbreak, not buy or sell sick animals to avoid the risk of spreading the epidemic and ensure food hygiene and safety.

Each individual and each organization needs to clearly recognize their responsibilities to join hands in controlling diseases in livestock.

Protecting public health and controlling epidemics is a shared responsibility of the whole society. Each individual and each organization needs to be aware of their responsibilities to work together to control epidemics in livestock, protect agricultural production and ensure consumer safety.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/can-trong-voi-thit-lon-gia-re-luu-hanh-tren-thi-truong-post649794.html