Cagayan Valley loses P30M to swine fever

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Philippines — More than 5,000 cases of African swine fever (ASF) were recorded in Cagayan Valley and 19,000 hogs were culled to contain the spread of the disease-causing virus, officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) here said on Sunday.

Most cases were found in Isabela province, affecting 23 towns, said Narciso Edillo, DA regional executive director.

Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry showed that hog farms in 288 villages in 35 towns in the region had been hit by the virus.

Checkpoints have been put up in the region’s boundaries to prevent entry of infected pigs, Edillo said.

Pork supply

Some P30 million has been lost to the outbreak in the past two months, he said.

“Despite the ASF cases, pork supply has remained stable. But pork prices will likely soar in the coming months due to the dwindling output,” Edillo said.

Swine fever cases were also found in the provinces of Quirino and Cagayan, while Batanes and Nueva Vizcaya provinces remained free of the animal disease.

Affected backyard raisers in Cagayan have been receiving financial aid worth P3,000 to P5,000 each.

The provincial government has also banned pork products as a preemptive measure.

—Villamor Visaya Jr.