Multiple eateries in Changhua County said they might have to temporarily close in the wake of disease control measures announced by the Ministry of Agriculture to curb a suspected African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.
Pigs on a farm in Taichung tested positive for ASF on Tuesday, ministry officials said.
The control measures include banning the transport and slaughter of pigs nationwide for at least five days, and prohibiting the use of kitchen waste as pig feed.
Photo: Chen Chien-chih, Taipei Times
Changhua eateries said they purchase freshly slaughtered pork for their signature ba-wan (肉圓) and braised pork rice dishes, so there is likely to be a shortage due to the slaughter ban.
Some expressed hope the government could assist them.
Ba-wan is a translucent Taiwanese dumpling made of starch and rice flour, filled with meat — usually pork — and vegetables. It is a famous local dish in Changhua.
In Pingtung County, home to the country’s largest number of pig farms, about 1,285, businesses are concerned about the government’s announced restrictions.
Pingtung Black Pig Farming Association chairperson Fang Chih-yuan (方志源) said it is difficult to estimate the losses they would incur, as it is unclear how the situation is going to unfold.
However, the ban on feeding kitchen waste to pigs might hit black pig breeders harder, as black pigs take about a year to raise, compared with six months for white pigs, so their feeding costs would be higher, he said.
The association supports banning the use of kitchen waste as pig feed, but butchery scraps from non-infectious sources should still be allowed, otherwise rising costs could discourage farmers from breeding the animals and cause the black pig market to collapse, Fang said.
A butcher surnamed Yang (楊) said that the impact of the measures is difficult to gauge.
Currently, the industry is worried that the transport and slaughter bans might be extended indefinitely, he said.
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