PALO, Leyte, Feb. 6 (PIA) -- In order to cushion the impact of the African Swine Fever (ASF) to the Swine Industry, the Province of Leyte will set up “ASF Safe Zones” away from the residential areas so that hog-raising in these areas will continue despite African Swine Fever affecting several municipalities of Leyte.

This was disclosed by Governor Leopoldo Dominico L. Petilla in an interview at the Network Briefing News nationwide simulcast, recently.

Governor Petilla pointed out that those affected by ASF in the seven municipalities of Leyte, are those considered as backyard producers. To recall, the municipalities which has barangays with confirmed ASF cases are Abuyog, Javier, Lapaz, Dulag, Tanauan, MacArthur and Palo.

“We have a program in the province under the Leyte Economics Program where we learned, livestock was the least affected during Yolanda,  so these are where we deployed breeders among the poorest of the poor barangays, including our former conflict-affected areas,” Governor Petilla said.

This is not the backyard type, Governor Petilla emphasized, but a communal type per barangay, through associations. The pigs are housed in an area away from the people or residential areas.

The feeds are not kitchen leftovers but properly manufactured feeds for hogs, Governor Petilla added.

In the more than 100 sites, so far not a single site has been affected by ASF. This is because biosecurity measures are observed. Only authorized people are allowed entry like those who will clean and feed the pigs and these people should wear a mask. There is a foot bath and disinfection is done before they can enter the pig pens.

The Leyte Governor intimated that the provincial government deploys more than 2,000 breeders annually and these can produce up to 50,000 piglets every year.

For the ASF Safe Zones that the Provincial Government will set up, Governor Petilla said, “We will train technical experts and veterinarians in the province and in the municipalities on biosecurity so we can train our hog raisers on how to protect the pigs from ASF.”

Governor Petilla envisions that even if ASF virus remains for years, the province of Leyte will continue swine production through the ASF Safe Zones in the Province Leyte.

“We’re planning to put up safe zones free from ASF, which are quarantined, and which has biosecurity measures against ASF; hog raising continues in these areas.”

He added, “Our farmer associations who are beneficiaries of the program are producing around 50,000 heads a year. We can increase that but we need to set up first our safe zones. (PIA8)



Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)