PH bans entry of domestic, wild pigs from swine flu-hit countries
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) banned the importation of domestic and wild pigs from countries hit by African Swine Fever (ASF), following confirmed growing cases in several provinces in China.
In a statement over the weekend, the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) cited confirmed outbreaks of ASF in four provinces in China, with the first case having been reported last August 3 in Liaoning province. Despite the control measures, the disease has spread to three other provinces, occurring in less than a month after the initial outbreak.
Based on Memorandum Order 23 issued on August 30, 2018, signed by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, the Philippines will not allow the entry of domestic and wild pigs and their products, including pork meat and semen from ASF-affected countries including Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and China.
In a separate order, the DA also prohibited the use of catering food wastes/left-overs from international and domestic airports and seaports to feed the pigs, also known as swill feeding, throughout the country.
With the ban in place, the DA suspended the processing and evaluation of applications for and the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances covering the affected commodities.
All meat products brought in by the arriving passengers from the affected countries will also be confiscated, according to the DA.
“All veterinary quarantine personnel in our international airports and seaports have been alerted to prevent the entry of the disease,” the BAI said.
The BAI described ASF as a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease of domestic and wild pigs of all ages. The disease is characterized by high fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs, and death, which, follows an average of 2-10 days after infection. Mortality can be as high as 100 percent.
The disease is listed as “notifiable” in the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and must be reported to the OIE World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) once detected.
Although not considered a zoonotic disease, swine raisers are encouraged to strengthen and strictly implement farm biosecurity measures.
“The public is enjoined to support the government’s efforts by reporting to veterinary authorities any unusual pig mortalities, pork smuggling activities or meat items handcarried by travellers from affected countries,” the BAI said.
The Philippine swine industry is one of the biggest contributors to the country’s agriculture growth, posting over 16 percent increase in gross earnings, owing to the increasing demand for pork and production expansion.
As of July 1, the country’s total swine inventory is estimated at 12.78 million. The Philippines ranks eighth in the world in terms of pork volume production and number of breeding sows.
“Historically, the country is free from African Swine Fever (ASF). Thus, incursion of the disease in the Philippines will result to great economic loss due to direct and indirect damages to the industry,” the BAI said. EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ
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