Bureau of Animal Industry warns of pork shortage due to ASF

A pork shortage is possible due to the spread of African swine fever (ASF), according to projections by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

As reported on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday, the BAI warned of a possible pork shortage due to the ASF, which has long plagued the local hog industry.

Earlier this month at least three barangays in Carcar City, Cebu were placed under a state of calamity due to reports of ASF, with one raiser alone estimating losses at P300,000.

The estimated losses in Luzon has been estimated at P100 billion, with a number of farmers deciding to temporarily stop raising hogs, and sellers shifting to other meat.

For its part, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is looking at measures to mitigate the impact of the ASF on the local industry.

Latest data available from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that hog production increased by 3.4% in the fourth quarter of the year, but the whole agriculture sector saw a full-year drop in production to mark the third straight year of contraction. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News