MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved a P300-million fund for lending to hog raisers in an effort to help the industry recover from the effects of African swine fever (ASF), according to Sec. William Dar on Monday.
Pig producers in “green zones” or areas that are free of ASF can avail of this loan, which has zero interest and is payable in five years. There is no collateral needed for this, said Dar.
“Gusto nating matulungan din itong areas na ito para continuous na madagdagan ‘yung imbentaryo po natin sa hog industry kasi we had three million hogs na na-depopulate as a result of the African swine fever,” he told ANC’s Headstart.
Dar said P200,000 is the “minimum” amount that a backyard hog raiser can borrow to produce around 40 pigs and to also upgrade biosecurity measures against ASF.
This fund will augment the agency’s repopulation program, which has been budgeted P2.7 billion.(ABS-CBN News)
