Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Africanswine fever (ASF) in pigs has appeared in 55 out of 63 provinces and centrally runcities in the country, forcing the cull of 2.5 million pigs, or 7.5 percent ofthe total pig stocks, it was reported at a conference on fighting the diseaseand restoring the pig farming industry on June 13.
The conference was held by the Ministryof Agriculture and Rural Development and attended by delegates from manylocalities and big livestock farming companies.
As of June 11, the disease hadbeen reported at 3,980 communes in 407 districts of 55 provinces and cities,with Ho Chi Minh City the latest hit. Meanwhile, 199 communes in 92 districtsof 25 provinces and cities have recorded no new outbreaks for at least 30 days.However, new outbreaks emerged again in 55 communes in 15 provinces and cities aftera 30-day period of no new cases.
Minister of Agriculture andRural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said the Vietnam Academy of AgriculturalSciences is researching ASF vaccine, with initial positive outcomes onexperimental scale. The academy is testing the vaccine on a larger scale.
He added that biological safetymeasures have proved to be an effective way to prevent the disease, citing theexamples of big livestock farms which have so far remained safe from thedisease.
The minister stressed that animportant task is to prevent food shortage. Since two months ago, the ministryhas promoted the development of other types of meat such as poultry, aquatic productsand cattle. The poultry stock has been expanded quickly.
Deputy Minister of Agricultureand Rural Development Phung Duc Tien urged localities to tighten disease prevention,with one of solutions being enhancing the capacity of local veterinary force.He said it is necessary to set up professional teams for pig disposal andquarantine stations in key areas along the north-south highways.-VNA
VNA
