Repopulating the hog industry and eradicating the African swine fever could take up to two years but it could be done with changes to existing protocol, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
“We are looking at the recovery of the swine in the next one to two years. (We are) optimistic in terms of the swine repopulation program but if nobody is optimistic in the repopulation program, especially from the government, then we will be stuck between ASF and our repopulation program,” said Dr. Ruth Miclat-Sonaco, DA national livestock program director, at the roundtable discussion hosted by Cargill Philippines in Paranaque on Tuesday.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show hog inventory and production rising since the second quarter last year from a low rate of contraction the past two and a half to three years.
“Since the second quarter of 2022, we’ve had positive growth. Although, of course, we’re only talking about one to three percent growth in terms of inventory and volume of production,” Sonaco said further.
According to her, the recovery may require more than two years and acknowledged the need to improve the government’s response to the hog repopulation effort and control of ASF.
She is convinced of the need to re-evaluate how the industry handles ASF control and prevention, which happens to be the position of the private sector and the DA as well.
“Hopefully it happens within the next few months, we’ll see,” Sonaco added.
Rolando Tambago, Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc. president, said the group is similarly hopeful the local hog growers are encouraged to use modern technology to help solve the problem.
“While there is no available vaccine yet, modern farming methods use the latest technology on genetics, housing, biosecurity – that’s the way to go to bring back the glory days of the industry,” Tambago said.
Sonny Catacutan, Cargill country president said modernization will help the industry recover faster and cited practices that local hog growers need to consider such as modern methods around biosecurity, feeding and digitalization.
According to data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), active ASF cases are in seven regions, 10 provinces, 35 cities and municipalities and 78 barangays.
Batad in Iloilo and San Ildefonso, Bulacan have the most number of barangays (9) with ASF.
Since 2019, ASF has affected 17 regions, 63 provinces, 816 cities and municipalities as well as 4,422 barangays.
Pork kasim retail for P300 up to P360 per kilo while pork liempo sell from P360 to 420 per kilo based on DA monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region.
