ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it has strengthened measures to prevent the entry of African swine fever (ASF) here in Region 9.
The measures were imposed as the spread of the ASF has already reached Mindanao, particularly in San Marcelino and Malita, Davao Occidental, Rad Donn Cedeño, DA-9 executive director, said on Friday.
Cedeño said they have established boundary checkpoints to prevent the entry of meat products into this region from areas with positive ASF cases. The checkpoints are located in towns of Aurora and Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur; Dapitan and Dipolog Cities and Rizal municipality in Zamboanga del Norte; and, in ports, both sea and air transport.
However, the DA official is apprehensive over the various entry points in this city, including fish landings, fishing ports, among others.
He said they have already coordinated with the owners of canning factories who also operate fishing ports to keep a close watch to prevent the entry of ASF into this city.
Meanwhile, the DA official said that there are 608,532 hogs in the region, based on the data gathered by the Philippine Statistics Authority in January this year. Of the total, 591,216 hogs are owned by backyard raisers while the remaining 17,316 are commercially raised.
Cedeño said that the province of Zamboanga del Norte has the highest number of hogs, pegged at 275,684. Of the total, 3,164 are being raised commercially.
Cedeño said backyard raisers face more risk as they do not have bio-safety facilities, unlike the commercial hog raisers. He reminded them not to feed their hogs with leftover food. (PNA)
