Food waste of pork products, from areas struck by African swine fever in Luzon and even Indonesia, caused the ASF outbreaks in Davao Occidental, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said over the weekend.
The DA said its initial investigation revealed that the fatal hog virus was able to reach remote towns in Davao Occidental via the ASF-infected pork products from Bulacan, Pampanga and Quezon City brought by returning locals.
“The BAI’s [Bureau of Animal Industry] initial investigation shows the outbreak in Davao Occidental could be that the ASF virus was brought in through swill feeds, or food wastes from pork products brought from ASF-affected Indonesia, or food items brought home by residents working in Bulacan and Pampanga, in Luzon, and in Quezon City, during the Christmas season,” it said in a statement.
The ASF virus has spread to more towns in Davao Occidental, and has reached Davao City since the outbreaks in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental, were confirmed.
The DA said nearly half, or about 6,903 hogs, out of the total swine population of 14,087 pigs in ASF-affected areas in Davao Occidental have been culled. Don Marcelino has a total population of 7,551 hogs while Malita and Calinan have 4,138 and 2,398 pigs, respectively. The DA also said there are now confirmed ASF outbreaks in two barangays—Dominga and Lamanan—in Calinan District, Davao City.
The DA said ASF reached Calinan via the hogs brought by traders from a livestock auction market in Sulop, Davao del Sur, which sources hogs from Malita and Don Marcelino in Davao Occidental, where outbreaks of the fatal hog virus were confirmed.
The DA has ordered all Mindanao regional offfices of the National Meat Inspection Service to strictly monitor all pigs and livestock animals for slaughter, ensure that they are disease-free, and conduct appropriate investigations if some show signs of infection, in partnership with BAI, and concerned local government units.Industry sources told the BusinessMirror last week that the confirmation of ASF outbreaks in Davao Occidental may affect Mindanao’s shipment of pork to Metro Manila, and even live hogs to Visayas.
Nonetheless, they noted that pork prices in Metro Manila would not be affected as Mindanao accounts for only a small share of its total supply.
Industry stakeholders also told the BusinessMirror that the government must protect Visayas “at all costs” from the intrusion of the virus to preserve its ASF-free status.
In a separate statement, the DA has confirmed the ASF outbreaks in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) after samples collected from dead hogs in Benguet and Kalinga tested positive for the virus.
DA-CAR Director Cameron Odsey said the ASF-affected areas are the towns of Tanudan, Bulanao and Tabuk, all in Kalinga; and in Beckel, La Trinidad, and Camp 1, Tuba, both in Benguet.