PHIL. ANTI-ASF MEASURES COVER PLANT-BASED FEEDS

By Jasper Y. Arcalas

Business Mirror

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued guidelines to ensure that imported plant-based feed products do not carry the African swine fever (ASF) virus which could cripple the P200-billion local hog industry.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol issued Memorandum Circular 8 dated June 3, outlining the quarantine measures for plant-based feed products from countries struck by ASF.

“There are scientific findings that ASF can be transmitted through plant-based feed products,” Piñol said in the order, a copy of which was distributed to media on Tuesday.

“A series of consultations with the stakeholders and private sector were conducted to discuss the safeguard/biosecurity measures for plant-based feed products, categorized as medium risk, imported from ASF-infected countries,” the circular read.

Under the circular, importers will be required to include an ASF declaration form from an independent third-party surveyor stating the last date of ASF outbreak from the country in their shipping documents.

If the last outbreak date from the country of origin is more than two months, the product would be automatically cleared upon arrival, especially those sourced from non-Asian countries, according to the circular.

However, if the country of origin had an ASF outbreak in the past two months, then the shipments would be put on quarantine for about 20 days, starting from the day the feed products were brought to the carrier vessel. After the prescribed quarantine period, the shipments will be cleared for use.

“When originating from non-Asian countries where duration of transport takes at least 20 days, the feed product may be utilized following clearance by quarantine officer from the port of entry upon arrival at the consignee’s warehouse,” the circular read.

“When originating from Asia, where the duration of transport is less than 20 days, a 10-day holding/quarantine period shall be applied at the consignee’s warehouse following its arrival which shall be certified by the deputized feed control officer,” it added.

The dreaded ASF was recently detected in Laos, the third Southeast Asian country struck by the fatal pig disease that could wipe out a nation’s swine stocks.

Vietnam has already culled over 2.5 million pigs as it seeks to contain ASF outbreaks within its borders.

China, which has the largest swine herd in the world, has killed at least 1 million hogs due to the ASF outbreaks, but estimates by industries and banks indicate a much higher figure.