MANILA, Philippines — Over 68,000 hog owners have so far been affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF) more than a year into the Philippines’ fight against the disease that has impacted pork supply in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Thursday.
During the joint hearing of the House committee on agriculture and food and the committee on trade and industry, Agriculture Undersecretary for Livestock William Medrano said as of February 2021, ASF has affected 12 regions, 40 provinces, 463 municipalities, and 2,400 barangays in the country.
The disease has affected 68,382 farmers in the country, Medrano said.
“This repopulation and recovery plan was brought about by African Swine Fever which heavily damaged the swine industry since August 2019 and is still lingering until today,” Medrano said.
Citing the Philippine Statistics Authority, Medrano said the total swine inventory was estimated at 9.7 million heads, a decline of 24.1 percent compared to data from the previous year which stood at 12.8 million.
In the same hearing, Dr. Reildrin Morales, director of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said that there was an expansion in terms of areas affected by ASF.
“In March 2021, admittedly, as the map would show, that the infection or the infected zone has actually expanded into more areas in Luzon and further in Mindanao, and last January 2021, we have an incursion in Region 8,” he added.
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President Rodrigo Duterte earlier approved a price freeze on pork and poultry as recommended by the DA.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Monday said the directive would remain until April 8, noting that it has “undeniably contributed to taming the price surge” on meat, particularly in Metro Manila markets.
READ: Price freeze on pork, poultry stays until April 8