Smuggling worsens swine fever outbreak

DAGUPAN CITY—African swine fever (ASF)-infected pigs and pork products are being smuggled into Pangasinan province despite the strict monitoring at checkpoints, officials here said on Thursday.

Rosendo So, president of the Samahan ng Industriya ng Agrikultura, said unscrupulous traders could be blamed for the ASF outbreak in the province.

“No matter how strict the checkpoints are, smuggling of meat persists,” So said.

He cited instances when some local hog raisers transporting live pigs and meat products without proper documents tried to slip past the animal quarantine checkpoints but were later flagged down.

Checkpoint personnel would then confiscate the hogs and pork products for disposal, he said.

Calamity state

San Carlos City and the towns of Calasiao, Mangaldan and Binmaley were placed under a state of calamity due to rising ASF cases in these areas.

At least 5,581 pigs have been culled in the province to prevent the spread of the virus, according to Jovito Tabajeros, acting provincial veterinarian.

But So said the number represented less than 2 percent of Pangasinan’s hog population.

According to Tabajeros, culling will continue since more hogs are believed to be infected by the disease, which has affected mostly backyard raisers.In San Carlos City, agriculture officials are also monitoring a commercial pig farm for possible ASF infestation.

The outbreak has forced other commercial farms to scale down their swine population, with one farmer raising 500 pigs from a peak of 1,000.

Pink zone

Pangasinan is under the pink or buffer zone category of the Department of Agriculture, which means it is surrounded by infected zones.

In Binmaley, one of the most affected towns, selling pork is no longer allowed in the market as six villages are still reeling from the disease.

Only 2,000 of 4,000 hogs in the town were culled before the ASF virus was detected, said municipal agriculture officer, Fernando Ferrer.