Agri chief sees no pork shortage despite ASF cases

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr sees no shortage in pork supply in the coming months despite the spread of African swine fever in parts of the country.

On the sidelines of the House Committee on Appropriations hearing on the Department of Agriculture's P200.2-billion proposed appropriations for 2025 , Laurel said the ASF-related lockdowns were farm-based.

“Wala naman akong nakikitang perceived shortage. Kasi ang mangyayari ngayon, yung mga let’s say katulad sa mga munisipyong merong ASF, hindi naman total na ila-lockdown at walang lalabas,” Laurel told reporters.

“It's farm-based ang lockdown ngayon. Hindi naman buong municipality o buong probinsya. Kaya magkakaroon pa rin ng movement,” he added.

(I don't see a perceived shortage. What's happening now in municipalities that have ASF are not total lockdowns. It's farm-based lockdowns. It's municipality or province-wide. There will still be movement.) 

Laurel said the DA would not implement the strict lockdown imposed when ASF spread in some provinces in 2019.

“We have learned from 2019 na yung dating in-implement ay masyadong strikto. We have come to understand ASF as a disease," Laurel said.

"Puwede naman 'yan lutuin. Ibang bansa nga, meron silang processing plants for infected animals para lutuin at ilata kasi safe naman,” he added.

(We have learned that the 2019 lockdown was too strict. We have to understand ASF as a disease. That can be cooked. In other countries, they have processing plants for infected animals that may cooked and canned because they're safe.)

Affected hog raisers will receive indemnification from the DA.

Culled small hogs and piglets will be paid P4,000 each, medium-sized hogs P8,000 each, and large ones P12,000. This is a substantial increase from the P5,000 given before.

“'Yun nga ang reason kung bakit tinaas namin at ni-nationalize namin ang indemnification, para talagang katayin na nila, i-surrender nila,” Laurel explained.

(This is the reason why we nationalized the indemnification. So that they will cull, and surrender the infected swine.)

Laurel said the supply of pork will not be affected because the DA is also implementing a hog repopulation program. Importation also continues.

“Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang importation. It's not being controlled in any way ng baboy. Market forces will dictate kung nakikita may shortage nang konti. And the importers will just import. Wala kaming control dyan. The law does not allow the DA to control the quantity na puwedeng import at wala,” the secretary said.

He said ASF should also not affect the price of pork.

“No reason really to increase prices,” he stressed.

Laurel also said there should be no impact on the processed meat industry.

When asked about AGAP Partylist’s push for a national state of calamity, Laurel replied, “No, no need. It’s localized. It is spreading a bit but not as fast." 

"And mas aware na kasi ang mga tao ngayon kasi nangyari na dati. Marami rin naman mga facilities may biosecurity. So hindi naman ibig sabihin ang buong municipality affected na. It's still farm-based pa rin," Laurel said.

Laurel also announced that 10,000 doses of the ASF vaccine are due to arrive in the country next week. These will be distributed to hog raisers for free.

The DA is targeting to vaccinate 600,000 hogs by the end of the year. —NB, GMA Integrated News