DA launches P29.6-B Bantay ASF, hog repopulation program

The Department of Agriculture on Saturday launched a multibillion-peso program with twin goals of reviving the African swine fever-hit hog industry, and ensuring that the disease will not further spread.

In a statement, the DA said Agriculture Secretary William Dar launched the national hog repopulation and “Bantay sa ASF sa Barangay” program in Batangas City.

As a partnership, the program has as it stakeholders the local government units, private sector, and veterinary and hog raisers' groups.

It has a combined public and private investments of P29.6 billion, aimed at effectively arresting spread of the ASF and reviving the badly-hit swine industry, according to the DA.

At the turn of 2021, the Philippines opened with a 3-million drop in the total swine inventory, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported, as the government scrambles to boost supply amid the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak. 

Preliminary data released by the PSA showed that the total swine inventory was estimated at 9.72 million heads as of January 01, 2021 versus the 12.80 million reported the previous year. Broken down, 71.1% were raised in backyard farms while the remaining 28.9% were from commercial farms.

"We chose Batangas because this is where the 'Bantay ASF sa Barangay' or 'BABay ASF' was born, alongside the hog repopulation program, formally called the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE)," Dar said.

For its initial funding, the BABay ASF has P1.5 billion, while INSPIRE has P600 million, according to Agriculture Undersecretary William Medrano, who oversees the DA national livestock program.

To encourage backyard and semi-commercial raisers in ASF-free areas and "green zones" to go back to business of swine fattening and piglet production, the DA through the Agricultural Credit and Policy Council (ACPC) is offering zero-interest loans, payable in three to five years.

The  DA-ACPC has set aside an initial budget of P500 million for the financing program.

Dar added the Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines are allotting P15 billion and and P12 billion, respectively, for lending to commercial raisers.

Through its Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), the DA is also providing raisers insurance coverage for their hogs at P10,000 each when culled due to ASF.

"I thus urge our partners -- the LGUs, hog industry stakeholders, veterinary associations, universities and research institutions, farmers' cooperatives and associations,  (FCAs), and backyard and commercial hog raisers -- to join us implement stringent, sustainable biosecurity measures from hereon," Dar said.

For his part, Medrano said INSPIRE aims to accelerate the repopulation and recovery of the hog industry to ensure availability, accessibility, and affordability of pork and pork products.

The program has three components, namely: calibrated repopulation – swine livelihood enterprise; establishment of breeder multiplier farms; and intensive and modernized production.

Dar noted that the DA will continuously provide technical assistance in risk assessment, surveillance and monitoring of ASF at the barangay level, strict biosecurity implementation, and use of locally-developed molecular rapid test kit to support disease surveillance.

Also, the DA is providing P800 million for transportation assistance to hog growers and traders who will deliver and sell their hogs or pork products in Metro Manila public markets, according to the Cabinet official. —LBG, GMA News