Hog raisers worried ASF vaccine cost may affect pork prices

Some hog raisers are concerned that the price per dose of the vaccine against African Swine Fever (ASF) may also affect the price per kilo of pork in the market. 

According to Bernadette Reyes’ report in “24 Oras” on Wednesday, hog raisers are hoping for affordable prices for the vaccines as the planned controlled vaccination has already begun. 

 “Ang existing vaccine right now na ginagamit namin lahat ng vaccine nagre-range ng from P20 to as high as P100, so 'yun 'yung range na afford ng mga end-users,” said National Federation of Hog Farmers (NatFed) president Chester Warren Tan. 

(The existing vaccine that is being used right now ranges from P20 to P100, so that’s the range our end-users can afford.) 

“Kung meron man bakuna at effective yung bakuna, eh dapat ibigay sa backyard ‘yan ng libre,” said NatFed vice president Alfred Ng. 

(If there are vaccines available and they are effective, then these should be given to the backyard for free.) 

The Department of Agriculture will distribute 10,000 doses at P400 to P500 per dose,  but said this will not affect the price of pork in the market. 

“Napakaliit naman ng portion nung P400 to P500,” said Agriculture Assistant Secretary Dante Palabrica. “That’s only five percent more or less ng production.” 

(P400 to P500 is just a small portion….That’s only five percent more or less of production.) 

Meanwhile, some hog raisers in Batangas asserted that not all pigs in their area are infected. 

“Isolated cases po siya,” said Rosario Batangas Hog Raisers Association president Patrick Ong. “Most of the barangays, predominantly of the barangays clear po at malinis po ang baboy.” 

(These are isolated cases ... .The pigs in most of the barangays, predominantly of the barangays, are clear and clean.) 

Further, the government is already implementing border controls amid the ASF threat. 

In Quezon City, suspected backyard raisers are encouraged to surrender their pigs as provided by an existing ordinance. But they would no longer be penalized with a P2,000 to P5,000 fine. 

QC Mayor Joy Belmonte said that healthy pigs to be surrendered will be bought at a reasonable price and sold to Kadiwa Center. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BM, GMA Integrated News