Residents of barangay Pagawan no longer objected when the Department of Agriculture (DA) took their pet pigs to be culled after it was confirmed that African swine flu (ASF) killed some pigs in the area on the 3rd of February, 2021.
As many as 568 pigs were killed and buried by the DA. Backyard hog raisers own the pigs.
The DA paid P7,000 for each pig they surrendered, but according to hog raiser Divina Wapin, it was also a big loss to them.
“Pantubos ko sana yun sa isinanla naming lupa,” she said.
She will be forced to just sell cattle and find something to add to the payment especially since they are not allowed to raise pigs again. The authorities said the African swine flu should be eliminated first before they could raise hogs again.
It will probably take half a year. The provincial government has promised to help the affected hog raisers earn more money.
Disinfected the pig burial ground and the areas where the pig died.
Everyone who enters and exits the barangay is also disinfected.
More than 500 pigs culled in Misamis Oriental due to African swine flu
According to the pork sellers in the area, almost no one buys pork from them because of fear of disease and because of the high price of meat. They allegedly buy pork on the farms which are more expensive than backyard hog raisers.
Next week, pig blood sampling will be conducted in other barangays to see if the disease has not spread.
It is said that it will be difficult to replenish the pork supply in Luzon as long as there is no African swine fever (ASF) vaccine, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Monday.
“With the vaccine now na na-develop sa Vietnam, palagay ko maximum 2 years maayos na natin ang ating industriya. Kaya tayong mga konsumer imbes na mag-adobo, magsahog-sahog lang muna sa gulay,” said DA Undersecretary Ernesto Gonzalez.
The solution for the DA is to increase imported meat to fill the market shortage.
This has angered local pork and chicken producers. The industry has already collapsed due to imported pork and poultry and plans to increase it.