Stakeholders are afraid swine flu might wipe out hog industry

Hog raisers are concerned about the possible outbreak of African swine fever in the country, citing supposedly lax measures in place or even non-existent.

It is possible that once an epidemic breaks out, it could possibly overwhelm the hog industry, said  Chester Warren Tan, president of the National Federation of Hog Farmers.

The industry is not ready for something like a swine flu epidemic, according a report by Maki Pulido on GMA News’ “Balitanghali, emphasizing that the virus spreads quickly, causing pigs to die, and that there is no vaccine available.

Countermeasures such as foot baths or disinfection equipment at strategic entry points are not in place, Tan said.

Even the industry itself is not prepared to face the adverse impact of African swine fever, should the virus spread in hog farms.

He noted that there is no preventive vaccine for it.

Ninety-five percent of the country’s pork supply is locally sourced, and swine flu poses threats of possible spikes pork prices if the stock dwindles.

The Philippines previously imposed a ban on the pork imported from swine flu-hit countries such as China, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine.

But Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) chairperson Rosendo So noted stricter monitoring measures on illegal meat from China is terribly needed.

Data from the United Nations showed frozen meats were still being exported by China to the Philippines, according to the report.

The Bureau of Customs has no available record of such transactions.

The luggage of tourists from China must be monitored for possibly containing processed meat could end up in hog farms in the Philippines, So said.

Regarding concerns about humans contracting the swine flu virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says such cases are rare.

“Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred,” it said.

‘We are ready for it’

Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol assuaged the private sector’s fears, saying appropriate mitigating protocols were in place since August 2018.

“Noong merong additional report ng [African swine flu] outbreak sa isang lalawigan ng China, we intensified our quarantine measures,” Piñol said.

“We are ready for this just as we are ready for handling other outbreak of diseases,” he added.

Authorities are making sure that additional footbaths are now installed at various entry points, and local experts were brought in the loop on international developments regarding the swine flu outbreak, Piñol noted.

The Department of Agriculture is working closely with the Bureau of Customs to address allegations of illicit pork coming in from China.

He appealed for the cooperation of industry stakeholders and the public at large by reporting illegally imported meat to authorities. —Dona Magsino/VDS, GMA News