By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is studying the possibility of subsidizing the vaccine against African swine fever (ASF).

DA in Western Visayas regulatory chief, Dr. Jonic Natividad said the Vietnamese-made AVAC vaccine currently awaits a product registration certificate from the Food and Drug Administration.

Clinical trials for the AVAC vaccine were recently conducted in Luzon, where it was proven to increase levels of antibodies against ASF infection among hogs, the Bureau of Animal Industry said.

However, according to the National Federation of Hog Farmers Incorporated (NFHFI), the vaccine costs between P400 and P600 per dose, a price too expensive for hog raisers.

The NFHFI proposed that the government should subsidize the vaccine, adding that they welcome the development.

However, Natividad said no market price for the vaccine has been released yet and he hopes that the price will not be too costly.

He pointed out the vaccine would also be a big boost to hog raisers if it would be made free, as local government units will have the capacity to use it to protect their local hog industry.

Meanwhile, as part of ongoing efforts to control the spread of ASF and other swine illnesses, Natividad urged hog raisers not to sell or consume sick hogs.

He said the raisers should follow the Food Safety Act of 2013, stating it is illegal to sell hogs showing symptoms of swine disease.

He pointed out that hog raisers and traders should be responsible as consumers find it difficult to identify if the hogs were healthy or sick.

The DA-6 regulatory chief said hog raisers also find it difficult to follow Negros Occidental’s biosecurity measures.

However, he still urged them to cooperate, especially as losses due to swine deaths have already surged to more than P100 million./DGB, WDJ