
Hanoi (VNA) - Pig droves now represent 80 percent of the numberjust prior to the outbreak of African swine fever, Minister of Agriculture andRural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong told a conference on May 6 in Hanoi ondeveloping pig breeding.
It will be quite difficult, however, to repopulate the remaining 20 percentin the third and fourth quarters of this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, henoted.
Speeding up breeding while ensuring safety and sustainability is aheadache for the sector, he added.
The minister suggested focusing on removing difficulties facing farminghouseholds, medium-sized farms, and cooperatives, as these groups contribute upto 65 percent of the total droves and are the most vulnerable to disease.
Agricultural enterprises should strengthen coordination with farmers andcooperatives to ensure effective repopulation by strictly obeying biologicalsafety procedures, he recommended.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnamhad 24.89 million pigs as at April, down nearly 20 percent compared to the 31 millionat the end of 2018.
Theministry’s Department of Animal Health reported that 16 cities and provinces nationwideare still coping with African swine fever./.