The Senate panel chaired by Sen. Santy Anasuma, said that every year Palau import almost half a million lbs. of pork meat translates to million of dollars going out of Palau each year.
Asanuma said that during the public hearing, most of the people commended Congress for the legislation because of its effort to address local food production and the importance of food security.The panel added that this measure also encourages the Palauan people to farm and to raise pigs, chickens and other animals to sustain local production.“The committee is cognizant that the people of Palau have become accustomed to imported and processed food. If nothing is done the people of Palau’s dependency on imported and processed goods,” the panel said.It added that Palau’s dependency to imported goods is growing.The committee said that in the hearing that business establishments have agreed to help local farmers sell their produce as long as it pass safety food inspection and packaged in a presentable way.The panel also recommended that the national government and the National Development Bank of Palau (NDBP) should put their efforts together and come up with low-interest loans to help develop local piggeries.The farmers also raised concern, during the public hearing that commercial feeds are not readily available and that there should be a contract between bigger supermarkets and farmers so that these feeds and construction materials are ordered ahead of time.During the public hearing farmers also supported the construction of slaughterhouses somewhere in Babeldaob.The bill proposes a tax of 25 percent ad valorem on all imported pork meat not including all processed pork products, the bill however will take effect seven years after it is approved.The proposed measure also included piggery licensing and regulation.
