The National Hog Convention and Trade Exhibit began with a promising start as global food and agriculture company Cargill presented the Animal Nutrition Summit, aimed at fostering knowledge and technology transfer for optimal farm production and better profitability.
Ng then highlighted the unique situation faced by the Philippines, as it is the only country to have experienced ASF and COVID-19 outbreaks simultaneously. This made it even harder for both private sector and government authorities to manage and control the spread of the virus. Ng expressed that farmers, particularly members of their federation, are hesitant to repopulate their hog farms due to the high cost of investment and the imminent threat of African Swine Fever. He explained that the cost of building renovations and modernization, such as tunnel ventilation, has increased, along with additional costs for cleaning and disinfection. The cost of repopulation has also gone up, from around 20,000 pesos per breeder to 35,000 pesos.
The Department of Agriculture is determined to revive the swine industry through its repopulation program and in collaboration with the private sector, according to Dr. Ruth Miclat Sonaco, Director of the National Livestock Program - Department of Agriculture. This repopulation program is a part of the Bantay ASF sa Barangay program, which aims to protect and safeguard local swine farms from African Swine Fever.
Dr. Sonaco also said that the ASF outbreak may have caused significant damage to the hog industry in the Philippines, but it has also given the industry the opportunity to reboot and modernize.