ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Fearing the possible collapse of the local hog industry, an official of the Department of Agriculture in Region 9 (DA-9) said Thursday they have implemented intensified measures against the deadly African swine fever (ASF).
Dr. Josephine Datoy, DA-9 Animal Regional Task Force member, said anti-ASF checkpoints have been established in the towns of Aurora and Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur; Dapitan and Dipolog Cities as well as in the town of Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte; airports; and, seaports.
“There is a high possibility that the local hog industry will collapse with the entry of the ASF,” Datoy warned.
She said the number of hogs being raised by the local players is pegged at 85,996. Of the total, 82,895 are produced by backyard raisers while the remaining 3,101 are raised by commercial growers.
In the entire region, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that there are 608,532 hogs as of January, this year. Of this figure, 591,216 are owned by backyard raisers while the remaining 17,316 by commercial growers.
Meanwhile, Datoy said Protocol 1-7-10 will be immediately implemented once a positive case of ASF is detected in the region.
Under the protocol, all hogs are presumed contaminated with the disease and will be depopulated within a one-kilometer radius from where an ASF positive case is found.
Surveillance will also be undertaken within the seven-kilometer radius from the ASF positive case and hogs will be controlled and examined for those within the 10-kilometer radius. (PNA)
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