The ban on feeding pigs kitchen waste would not be lifted until inspections of pig farms are completed and a legislation is put in place, Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) said yesterday.
The government lifted the ban on transporting pigs yesterday, and slaughtering and trading hogs today, as there has been no proof that the African swine fever (ASF) from the affected farm in Taichung has spread, he said.
Some fresh pork could be available at evening traditional markets today, but more would likely be available at tomorrow’s morning markets, Chen said.
Photo: CNA
The nearly 390,000 pigs held up during the bans are expected to be consumed by March next year, he said.
The ministry would monitor pork prices and volume at meat markets, and help distribute excess pork to the frozen pork supply chain to ensure stable prices, he added.
The Taichung farm still tested positive for ASF yesterday, despite disinfection by the Chemical Corps, Chen said.
Veterinary Research Institute Director-General Deng Ming-chung (鄧明中) said samples were collected from the entrance of the farm, the floor where the fridge is placed and the pig nursery.
Chen said further testing is needed to confirm whether the virus is still active enough to cause an infection, adding that cleaning and disinfection of the farm would continue until samples test negative for ASF.
Feeding pigs kitchen waste is still prohibited, as inappropriately steamed leftovers were found to be the main cause of the ASF outbreak, he said.
The ban would not be relaxed until the 434 pig farms that use such feed nationwide are inspected and equipped with real-time monitoring systems, Chen said.
The inspections are to be conducted over the next two weeks, he said, adding that the ministry would also establish stricter penalties for improper kitchen waste steaming before lifting the ban.
Farmers who feed pigs kitchen waste during the period would be banned from transporting pigs and could have their operating license revoked, Chen said.
Asked what would happen to the ASF-affected farm, Chen said experts’ opinions would be compiled and given to the city government after samples from the farm test negative for the virus.
Data from the central ASF response unit showed that the 3,915 samples collected from pig farms nationwide — excluding the affected farm — and the 1,652 samples from the carcass transport vehicles of the nation’s eight rendering plants tested negative for ASF.
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