ASF outbreaks down, but pork prices still up

MANILA, Philippines — Outbreaks of African swine fever have continued to go down with only 130 barangays now reporting ASF infections from 133 in January, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

Despite the downtrend in ASF outbreaks, the retail price of pork remains high at P480 per kilo, according to the BAI.

As of Jan. 31, only nine regions, 15 provinces and 40 cities and municipalities recorded ASF cases.

Provinces that recorded a high number of ASF-affected barangays are Ilocos Sur with 58 followed by Catanduanes with 20 and North Cotabato with 16 barangays.

Bohol and La Union have nine and six ASF-affected barangays, respectively, while Batangas has four.

The town of Lobo in Batangas was considered as “ground zero” of ASF outbreaks in August last year.

Other provinces with ASF-affected barangays are Abra, Aurora, Cagayan, Cavite, Northern Samar, Quezon, Sultan Kudarat, Tarlac and Zambales.

Arnel de Mesa, spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, said the DA would implement a maximum suggested retail price on pork to temper the increase.

Based on the monitoring of the DA in Metro Manila markets, the retail price of pork shoulder ranged between P340 and P420 per kilo and pork belly between P380 and P480 per kilo.