The Ministry of Agriculture has reported that there has been a decline in the sale of pork on the local market. Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud, who at a press conference yesterday, said that this is mostly due to the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu).Persaud said that thus far, the animal health department has confirmed that there is no evidence of the pig population being infected by the virus.The Pig Farming group has reported that in recent weeks there has been a decline in pork sales. People are hardly consuming the meat.“I want to make a special appeal to the Guyanese consumers that based on all the available information; there is no reason why our pork eating section of the population should desist from consuming pork,Cheap Jerseys From China Outlet, which is produced and grown in Guyana.“The evidence and information that I have, indicates that there is no reason why persons should stop eating pork,” Minister Persaud said.Surveillance in terms of the pig farms and facilities are continuing,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale, and vets are stationed in all ten regions.It was explained that the Ministry has a very comprehensive disease action plan,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, which can be activated immediately should there be the need to have such a plan in place.According to Persaud, at the level of the National Influenza Committee, there is a lot of co-ordination between the Ministries of Agriculture and Health and the technical officers. The Agriculture Minister reiterated that while they need to be alert and take precautions, the Ministry needs to guard against rash and discriminatory actions.“Those persons who might be spreading rumours that consuming pork will make you come down with the virus, or other types of misinformation, should desist from this because the farmers have brought that to my attention”.“In fact,Wholesale China Jerseys, there was someone on television espousing such nonsense and I want to appeal to the consumers to think about our pig farmers, they have invested and we have a very active pig breeding programme and the pig industry in Guyana has been growing.”He explained that Guyana is one of few countries that is self-sufficient in terms of pork, as the country is doing much more processing.“There is even a strategic plan to export to the Caribbean, but our farmers in the industry require the sustained local support, and we do hope that the H1N1 flu situation does not take a severe impact on the pig farmers and the pig industry.”On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) pandemic, the first global flu epidemic in 41 years, as infections increased in the United States, Europe,Nike Men Air Max 97, Australia, South America and elsewhere.However, Guyana’s Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has said that no strong evidence exists that Swine Flu is here as yet. (Fareeza Haniff).