The Philippines is set to ban the importation of live pigs and pork-related products from Indonesia after Jakarta confirmed over 300 outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) last month.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar told the BusinessMirror that the government would “pursue” the same measures it applied on ASF-affected countries to Indonesia as a safeguard measure against the fatal hog disease.
Since last year, the government, through the Department of Agriculture together with other border-related agencies such as Bureau of Customs, has been implementing stricter quarantine measures on shipments from ASF-affected countries.
“The same treatment as that of any ASF affected countries will be pursued,” Dar said via SMS on Sunday when asked if he would authorize a formal ban on importation from pork-related products coming from Indonesia.
The Philippines has banned the importation of live pigs, pork products and other pork-related goods from over 20 countries that have been affected by ASF.
On December 17, Jakarta reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) that it has confirmed 392 outbreaks of ASF in Sumatera Utara province that has resulted in deaths of 28,136 pigs.
In its report, Jakarta said the ASF outbreaks started as early as September 4, 2019, and was confirmed on November 11, 2019.
“Three hundred ninety-two outbreaks in backyard pig farms in Sumatera Utara province. Sixteen out of 33 districts infected. Pigs population in Sumatera Utara province is estimated to be 1,228,951 heads based on Livestock and Animal Health Statistics,” it said in its report to the OIE.
Indonesia said the source of its ASF outbreaks remain “inconclusive.”
“However, rapid risk assessment shows that transportation of live pigs from another area is and contaminated fomite from an animal handler, vehicle and animal feed play a role in this infection,” it explained.
Indonesia became the seventh Southeast Asian country to have been struck by the fatal hog disease that has resulted in the deaths of millions of pigs in Asia, particularly China and Vietnam.
To date, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore and Malaysia are the remaining Southeast Asian countries that are free from ASF.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has advised countries to strengthen their border controls on passengers/tourists’ luggage until February 2020 as the holiday period is a “high risk period” for the spread of ASF virus.
The FAO explained that ASF virus “can be transmitted through pork and pork products [raw/frozen/dried/undercooked] in which the virus can survive for a long time.”
“Intensive customs control of passengers’ luggage is recommended during the high risk period from the end of December 2019 to the beginning of February 2020, covering Christmas, New Year, Lunar New Year holidays,” it said.
“Warning signs should be placed clearly at the border/customs entry including airports and seaports, stating the consequences of bringing pork and pork products from ASF-infected countries/regions, and instructing passengers to discard pork products in designated disposal places or to hand over to the customs personnel,” it added.
ASF is a fatal animal disease affecting pigs and wild boars with up to 100-percent fatality rate. However, ASF is not harmful to humans.
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