Speaking on Spanish radio station Onda Cero, director of Interporc Alberto Herranz addressed the difficult situation of the HORECA channel, “especially in branches such as suckling pig or ham and paletas, which are being affected by the closure of bars and restaurants”.
According to Interporc, the HORECA channel accounts for more than 35% of national pork sales. Herranz added that “it would be important that, once the state of alarm is over, the gradual reopening, total or partial, of bars and restaurants be allowed”.
Herranz said it is “promoting some actions and supporting many other initiatives by sectoral or business associations to recover the activity of the HORECA channel, of enormous importance for both the food industry in general and for the pig sector in Spain in particular”.
However, he urged support for the pork sector to ensure its survival. “Provided that the safety of customers and employees is guaranteed, it is necessary to allocate financial and fiscal aid that allows these establishments to take on the security measures that are provided by the authorities and that facilitate the reconversion of its activity.”
Herranz highlighted “the extraordinary work being carried out in the sector, livestock, industry, transport and distribution as a whole, where efforts have been redoubled to maintain supplies to the population”.
“And without leaving what we were already doing, working on animal welfare, sustainability and environmental protection protocols,” he added.
Herranz also referred to traditional and specialized stores as butchers and delicatessens, in which 26.5% of the country's fresh pork meat and 10.5% of elaborated pork meat are sold. “In this complicated situation, they are also experiencing difficulties, since, although they may open, most have reduced their business hours and have had to redouble their efforts to adopt measures such as even more extreme continuous cleaning of their facilities.”
