Dar asks pig raisers, traders to help stop ASF spread

PALO, Leyte –– Agriculture Secretary William Dar has asked hog raisers and traders to help in the government’s campaign to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF).

Dar, who was here on Friday to meet agriculture officials of Eastern Visayas, said their cooperation was needed so the ASF virus would not spread to other provinces.

He said the government was doing its best to address the problem, like putting up quarantine checkpoints and providing financial assistance to the affected hog raisers.

Hog raisers, he added, should not sell their infected pigs but should instead have their animals treated by veterinarians.

Traders should also not buy infected animals, said Dar.

Dar lamented that some hog raisers would sell their ASF-infected pigs by cutting them into pieces before transporting them to other areas. This only resulted in the spread of the disease.

He said President Duterte would issue an executive order that would strengthen the cooperation among government agencies like the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police; Bureau of Customs; and the Department of Transportation to stop the movement of infected pigs and pork products to other areas.

Dar said the government has to protect the country’s P300-billion hog industry./lzb