HAM-LOVING Jamaicans are blissfully unperturbed by the "swine fever alert" issued earlier this month by the Ministry of Agriculture.Robust ham sales throughout the month of December confirm that the desire for pork has not diminished since the alert was issued.
But the authorities are warning Jamaicans travelling abroad during the Christmas season not to take back any kind of meat into the country. "The virus can remain in ham for days, and in frozen meat for weeks," warned Dr. Cedric Lazarus, senior veterinary officer of the Veterinary Services Division in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Tamara Garel, in charge of ham purchases at Grace, Kennedy & Co. Ltd., reported that the firm had already exhausted its stocks of ham. "We're doing the same amount of sales as we did last year. Right now, we have no stock, because we've allocated all our stock to customers. There is no demand that we haven't met," she said.
Picnic ham sells at $210 per kilo while leg ham sells $370 per kilo. Ham is the thigh of the pig which is cured by salting or smoking.
"Jamaicans have to be more aware of the threat in the neighbouring countries of Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba. This is a very serious virus," said Dr. Lazarus.
"Haitian refugees can come over and bring the affected pork, and this can get into the garbage, and then the pigs here will eat it, and the disease will spread. It is almost impossible to control and is highly contagious," he explained.
Dr. Lazarus explained that the disease can be spread by "wild birds, equipment moving from one farm to another, and in urine and faeces."
He implored Jamaicans travelling overseas during the Christmas season "not to bring meat kind back into the island, not even canned hams."
Dr. Lazarus made it clear that pork-loving Jamaicans are not at risk, because the disease does not affect humans, but the agricultural sector and specifically pig farmers, are at risk because swine fever is classified as a class A disease.
C.M.
