9 March 2023

9 minute read

By: Paul Anderson

Asia

As the first quarter of the year comes to an end, a new challenge emerges in the country’s swine industry.

The Philippines Hog industry was once again alarmed as Cebu province; one of the Philippines’ few remaining ASF-Free provinces, reported the death of thousands of pigs that are believed to be infected with the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus.

Based on the data gathered by the Chronicle, no less than 3,600 pigs died in one particular town in Cebu. Unofficial information received from the province noted that authorities are describing the cause of death as hog cholera, and not ASF. Nearby provinces of Cebu made extra precautionary measures to prevent the virus from entering their respective provinces.

On international news, the Philippines lifts its ban on the importation of cured pork meat products from Italy. The ban was enforced by the country’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August last year due to outbreaks of African Swine Fever in the European nation.

In a memorandum order signed on Dec. 28 by the Department of Agriculture but issued by the FDA on Jan 19, 2023, the ban was lifted “following the minimum standard and parameters to achieve the appropriate level of protection and inactivation of ASF virus.”

It added that based on the DA’s Import Risk Assessment on Nov. 8, the “overall estimated risk of ASF introduction through cured meat is low in products such as dry-cured hams.”

The order however does not cover other pork meat products from Italy, the FDA said.

A Rising Hope

From the never-ending reports of the infection of the ASF virus in the country, a rising hope emerges as the Vietnam-made AVAC ASF vaccine begins its clinical trials in the country.

Four (4) farms in the Philippines began their ASF vaccine trials using the AVAC ASF Live vaccine through the efforts of a local agricultural product firm. The company said safety and efficacy trials using the AVAC ASF Live vaccine are being conducted, under the supervision of the Bureau of Animal Industry. These trials are expected to be completed in April.

The Vietnamese government recently reported that more than 600,000 doses of the AVAC ASF vaccine have been administered in field trials since July last year. Because of the highly favorable results, the Vietnamese government will also start its nationwide distribution of the vaccine to help the local hog farmers.

Since 2019, the ASF perished more than half of the country’s swine population, resulting in the loss of livelihoods of local hog backyard raisers, the shutdown of large commercial pig farms, a decline in feed mill operations, and the loss of revenues of allied industries with an estimated economic value of more than P100 billion a year.

Thailand

Pig price continues to plunge in Thailand

Prices of pigs and fresh pork products in Thailand continue to fall as smuggled frozen pork still cannot be curbed.

The price of live pigs today is an average of THB 85 (USD 2.5), or a 26% drop year-on-year. Meanwhile, the production cost is an average of THB 95/kg (USD 2.8). This means a loss of THB 1000/head (USD 29) if the pig is harvested at 100kg.

Loin price plunges 18% year-on-year to THB 180 (USD 5.2). Slow demand for pork drives the price of weaned pigs down 40% year-on-year to THB 1800 (USD 52).

The main culprit for the price fall remains smuggled pork. Although the government has seized over 700 tonnes of smuggled pork since January, it is estimated that this amount is account as only 5% of those pork items taken into the country illegally.

It is reported that over a thousand containers are landing unchecked at a seaport about 200km east of Bangkok. A part of it is suspected of containing frozen pork and other meat products.

Despite pig farmers are calling for police and customs departments to beef up the smuggled pork control, most of it remains unchecked. A national election is going take place in the next three months. It is hard to expect government agencies to be taking action on any wrongdoing seriously under the caretaking government.

The only hope lies at the depletion of smuggled pork. Once depleted, it would be difficult for the smugglers to find cheap frozen pork in the future. Shortage of pork supplies in major exporters such as the US and Spain would lead to global pork price rise.

But before that time comes, most farmers in Thailand who cannot withstand the loss would have to go out of the business.

We welcome all customers, friends and those interested to discuss our outstanding swine genetics to visit us this week in VIV Asia, Bangkok our booth is 2770

Vietnam

The price of the pig now is 48,000 – 49,000 vnd/kg in the North; 47,000 – 52,000 vnd/kg in the center; and 50,000 – 52,000 vnd/kg in the South. Average will be around 50,000vnd/kg. More detail, please see the link: https://vietnambiz.vn/gia-heo-hoi-hom-nay-136-dau-tuan-ba-mien-dong-loat-chung-gia-20226133351760.htm.

The Import and Export Department forecasts that pig production in 2023 will continue to face difficulties. Large livestock enterprises believe that it will not be until the beginning of the second quarter of 2023 that the economy will gradually recover, the income of workers will be improved again, helping to increase meat consumption (source: https://vietnambiz.vn/cuc-xuat-nhap-khau-chan-nuoi-heo-trong-nam-2023-tiep-tuc-kho-khan-20233674354902.htm).

The global pig industry is still facing many uncertainties (source: https://nhachannuoi.vn/nganh-chan-nuoi-heo-toan-cau-van-dang-doi-mat-voi-nhieu-bat-on/).

Directive No. 02/CT-TTg dated January 14, 2023 of the Prime Minister on strengthening the management and control of animal slaughter to ensure disease and food safety (source: https://cucthuy.gov.vn/web/guest/-/ch%E1%BB%89-th%E1%BB%8B-s%E1%BB%91-02/ct-ttg-ng%C3%A0y-14/01/2023-c%E1%BB%A7a-th%E1%BB%A7-t%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Bng-ch%C3%ADnh-ph%E1%BB%A7-v%E1%BB%81-t%C4%83ng-c%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Dng-c%C3%B4ng-t%C3%A1c-qu%E1%BA%A3n-l%C3%BD-ki%E1%BB%83m-so%C3%A1t-gi%E1%BA%BFt-m?redirect=%2F).

– According to the Center for Industry and Trade Information (Ministry of Industry and Trade), the information released this week showed that the world economy has appeared bright spots when the US economy showed signs of recovery, the European economy avoided be degraded (source: https://nhachannuoi.vn/nhung-tin-hieu-tich-cuc-tu-kinh-te-trong-nuoc-va-the-gioi/).

ASF UPDATE:

The Philippines
Since the Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed the first outbreak started in July 2019, as of July 2022, 53 provinces have experienced ASF outbreaks. On Mindanao, as of January 2023, the pig mortality in the city reached 4 655, and 1 122 pigs were culled to prevent the spread of the disease. On Visayas, as of 6 February 2023, ASF virus is present in 20 municipalities in Iloilo Province, namely Alimodian, Badiangan, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Dingle, Duenas, Dumangas, Ilo-Ilo City, Janiuay, Leganes, Mina, New Lucena, Oton, San Dionisio, San Miguel, Sta. Barbara, Zarraga and Estancia; and the towns of Buenavista and Jordan in Guimaras Province.

Malaysia
The first ASF outbreaks were confirmed in February 2021 in Sabah Stateon Borneo, and has also been reported in Sarawak State. On the Malay Peninsula, ASF was first reported in December 2021, and has been reported in Melaka, Pahang, Perak, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Trengganu and Kelantan states. According to media, in Perak State, ASF was detected between December and 13 January on four farms in Batang Padang district (1) and in Kuala Kangsar district (3); and in Negeri Sembilan State, a decayed carcass of a wild boar was found on a farm in Pasir Panjang, Port Dickson on 3 January and tested positive for ASF. In Penang State, since ASF outbreak was detected in Seberang Perai Selatan District on 6 January, 68 659 pigs and 30 farms have been affected by the disease and about 12 000 pigs have been culled so farin Seberang Perai Selatan District; the affected farms are located in Seberang Perai Selatan District (19 farms), Seberang Perai Utara District (6), Seberang Perai Tengah District (2), and Barat Daya District (3), according to media.

Indonesia
Since the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) reported an ASF outbreak in North Sumatra Province in 2019, ASF has been officially reported in 18 out of 34 provinces on: Sumatera (Lampung, North, South, West, Riau, Jambi), Bangka Belitung, Java (Central, West, Yogyakarta, East, Banten), Kalimantan (Central, North, East, West), Bali and East Nusa Tenggara. During 2022, a total of 6 900 pigs were affected, of which 77% was in West Kalimantan. Media reported that in North Sumatra Province, 2 000 pigs have died suddenly in Medan City and Deli Serdang, Karo, and Serdang Bedagai and Humbang Hasundutan Regencies; and in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, after the resurgence of ASF as of 11 February 2023, a total of 349 domestic pigs died of ASF, raising the concerns about the spread of the disease in the province; the deaths were reported from nine districts/cities namely Kupang City, Kupang, Sikka, Ende, East Flores, Southwest Sumba , North Central Timor, West Sumba, and Nagekeo regencies.

Vietnam
Since the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) confirmed its first ASF outbreak on 19 February 2019, all provinces/municipalities experienced outbreaks. As of 25 January 2023, ten provinces were affected by ASF.

Figure 1. Cumulative number of affected communes since January 2020 in Vietnam

Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Since the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry confirmed the first ASF outbreak in Salavan Province on 20 June 2019, ASF outbreaks were reported in all 18 provinces. In November 2022, ASF was confirmed in pigs in Kham District, Xiangkhouang Province.

Cambodia
Since the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) confirmed the first ASF outbreak in Ratanakiri Province in April 2019, ASF outbreaks were detected in five provinces. The last reported outbreak was in July 2019.

Thailand
Department of Livestock Development (DLD) announced in January 2022 the confirmation of ASF in pet pigs in Bangkok. On 5 January 2023, 7 new ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs started between 16 November and 25 December and 1 continuing outbreak were posted on WAHIS. As of 5 January 2023, a total of 114 outbreaks have been reported in 35 out of 77 provinces/special administrative area, with the latest reported outbreak occurred on 25 December 2022 in Phetchaburi Province. Meanwhile, ten wild boar carcasses were found at the Khlong Wang Sai Watershed Forest in Yala Province, according to media.

Myanmar
Since the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation confirmed the first ASF outbreak in August 2019, a total of 11 outbreaks were reported in Shan (7), Kachin (1), Kayah (1) states, and Sagaing Region (2) with the latest outbreak reported in June 2021.

Singapore
The National Parks Board of Singapore on 7 February confirmed its first case of ASF in a wild boar carcass found in a natural park in the northwest of the country.

India
Since the first ASF outbreaks occurred in Assam State in January-April 2020, ASF outbreaks have been officially reported in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Bihar, Kerala, Punjab and Haryana states. According to media, ASF was also confirmed in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh states, and Delhi Union Territory; for the past one month, ASF cases have been detected in Kerala (Kasaragod and Kottayam districts), Punjab (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar District), and Madhya Pradesh (Rewa, Sidhi, Jabalpur, Shahdol, Mandla, Katni, Satna, Shivpuri, Tikamgarh, and Damoh districts). Media reported that ASF was also suspected in Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka State) and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR, Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu State) in the Sigur Plateau where animals moving freely between the two reserves; and in Gudalur forest range; in Karnataka, 19 wild boars found dead in Bandipur Tiger Reserve a month ago; in Tamil Nadu, more than 50 wild boars died in Nilgiris District near the MTR such as in Kothagiri, Keelkothagiri, Coonoor, Manjoor and Ooty. In both places ASF was suspected as the cause. ASF has not been reported in domestic pigs in Nilgiris district.