May 19, 2006

Vietnam to compensate farmers hit by foot-and-mouth

Vietnam would compensate farmers whose livestock have been affected by foot-and-mouth disease, state-controlled media reported Friday (May 19).

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Thursday (May 18) approved a decision to pay farmers whose animals are slaughtered because of the disease and said the government would also provide free vaccinations, the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper reported.

The government would pay VMD10,000 (US$0.63) for each kilogramme of pork and VMD12,000 dong (US$0.75) a kilogramme of buffalo, beef, goat, lamb and deer slaughtered, it said.

It would also pay local authorities VMD150,000 (US$9.40) for one buffalo or cow and VMD50,000 dong (US$3.20) for slaughtering expenses.

Foot-and-mouth disease has spread to 30 Vietnamese provinces and has affected tens of thousands of cows, buffaloes and pigs nationwide.

The disease can be fatal in animals but does not harm humans.