ILOILO City – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas (Region 6) is enjoining the locals to be vigilant against the African swine fever (ASF) to keep the region free from the deadly pig disease.
Remelyn Recoter, DA-6 executive director, said swill feeding of backyard raisers and the transport of processed pork products in the region are the top risks that can trigger the entry of the virus.
She said the virus has reached Batangas, Camarines Sur and some parts of Mindanao because of the two mentioned modes of transmission.
“Number one concern is the swill feeding from the affected food wastes. The origin (of the virus) at the ground zero came from food wastes in airlines and hotels,” she said, adding that there were persons who collect and sell food wastes to backyard raisers in the affected areas.
Recoter also advised the public not to feed the hogs with any processed pork products that came from outside the region.
“If one of our relatives bring a kilo of chorizo here and its food waste will be fed to the hogs, then almost PHP20-billion worth of swine industry will be at risk,” she said.
Citing the 2019 data, she said 89 percent of the 1.2 million farmers in the swine industry are backyard raisers.
To further protect the industry, Recoter appealed to the traders not to smuggle any pork and pork products from areas affected by ASF.
Traders tend to transfer their products from Luzon from one vehicle to another to get away from quarantine and government officials.
She said provincial and city ordinances in the region have been established in the region to guard against pork and pork products from affected areas.
The cancellation of international flights in Kalibo International Airport due to the coronavirus disease 2019 has also helped in the further defense against ASF. (With a report from PNA/PN)
