DA seeks budget for ASF vax allocation for smallholder farms in 2027

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking a budget for the supply of vaccine against African swine fever (ASF) for smallholder or small-scale farms nationwide.

DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said there’s an initial request of P1 billion budget for the proposal.

“At isa sa request namin sa 2027 ay magkaroon ng allocation ng bakuna para sa mga smallhold natin,” said DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa in a chance interview with reporters.

(And one of our requests for 2027 is to have a vaccine allocation for our smallholder farms.)

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) earlier approved the commercial sale of AVAC ASF LIVE, the first ASF vaccine available for fatteners, or pigs raised for pork production.

The DA official said that more hog raisers have already imported the commercially available vaccine from Vietnam.

Meanwhile, the evaluation of South Korea’s PROVAC vaccine is already in the final stages.

“Alam ko yung Korea yung susunod, na almost tapos na. Nasa last stages na sila,” said De Mesa, but he noted that the rollout may not be possible within this year.

(I know the one from Korea is next, which is almost finished. They are in the final stages.) —VAL, GMA News