City working to meet NMIS standard on slaughterhouse
City Mayor Jerry Treñas yesterday said the city government is trying its best to meet the standard set by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in order for the city’s slaughterhouse in Brgy. Tacas, Jaro to get a “double A” classification.
Treñas, however, said it is the Department of Agriculture (DA) that will provide and procure the equipment needed for a “double A” abattoir. The funds for the procurement of the required facilities for the slaughterhouse would still come from the P11 million additional fund from the DA’s Agricultural Comprehensive Enhancement Fund (ACEF).
He said they are also working on the procurement of three delivery vans and the cementing of road leading to the water treatment facility plant. A generator set is also being considered as priority in the operation of the city’s slaughterhouse in Barangay Tacas, Jaro.
At present, the slaughterhouse has no cattle line to accommodate livestock. The cows and carabaos are still being slaughtered in the old abattoir. The slaughterhouse in Tacas is only for hogs.
Millions of pesos have been poured for the project which is primarily a DA-initiated project. The city government’s contribution to the realization of the project is the acquisition of the property where the slaughterhouse stands and the road improvements.
Treñas made it clear that it is the agriculture department which has the mandate when it comes to the procurement of the equipment required by the NMIS in upgrading the standard of slaughterhouses.
Earlier, the NMIS prevented the local meat shippers from transporting meat products slaughtered at the Tacas abattoir outside of the city and other parts of the country since the facility has yet to be accredited.
The city’s slaughterhouse lacks facilities like hand washing and foot bath facility, scalding vat for the cattle area and lockers for the butchers, reason why it cannot get the “double A” accreditation from the NMIS.