‘Swine industry needs ASF vaccines to fully recover’

The domestic swine industry would only fully recover if the government can provide vaccines against African Swine Fever (ASF), Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said today.

Lacson said that majority of the localities in the province are already recovering from ASF and other swine diseases.

However, he said the Provincial Veterinary Office recorded hog mortalities in La Castellana and Hinoba-an.

Lacson said that unlike in previous situations, the PVO “is making sure that the two LGUs observe the protocol especially in burying the dead pigs.”

But Lacson said that in some areas they are already preparing for the next phase especially in the process of disinfecting in preparation for the sentinelling.

“Those that have already started, we will proceed with caution. Without the vaccines however it would be difficult to fully recover from ASF,” Lacson added.

The farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) wrote to Senators Cynthia Villar and Imee Marcos, urging them to investigate the release of ASF vaccines in the market even when the Food and Drug Administration has yet to approve the certificate of product registration in the country.

The 300,000 vials of ASF vaccine reportedly came from Vietnam.

Arlene Vytiaco, Bureau of Animal Industry assistant director, said the agency targets to import 600,000 doses of ASF vaccines this year once the FDA issues the certificate of product registration to address the outbreak of the disease.

Vytiaco said that the field trial for the AVAC ASF live vaccine was conducted in six farms in Luzon.* (EYA)