Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat has urged northern Bac Giang Province to rigorously clamp down on blue-ear disease.

 

After inspecting the situation last week in the province, which has the third largest number of pigs in the country, the minister said that there were indications the disease was being contained. However, he urged local authorities to remain vigilant.

 

Blue-ear disease has broken out in 21 communes in Yen Dung, Hiep Hoa and Luc Ngan districts and Bac Giang City, where more than 3,300 out of Bac Giang Province's 1.1 million pigs have been infected. So far, 800 pigs have been culled, while nearly 1,500 have recovered.

 

Provincial authorities have disinfected farms and breeding facilities, banned the transport and trade of sick pigs and vaccinated local animals against the disease, said Hoang Dang Huyen, head of the provincial department of animal health, adding that 45 quarantine stations have been set up across the province to prevent the transport of infected pigs

 

"One of the reasons the disease has spread is that some pig breeders have not informed relevant agencies about their sick pigs and try to sell them or dump them instead. Therefore, local authorities have increased information dissemination to raise public awareness about prevention and control," he said.

 

The disease has affected 15 provinces and cities, where more than 50,000 pigs have been infected.

 

Pork shortages may plague domestic market soon after a large number of farmers stopped raising pigs in response to the blue-ear outbreak that has been hitting the country's northern provinces.

 

Tran Van Hac, a business manager for pork products at CP Co, said about 90% of small-sized pig breeding households would "suspend" their operations after this epidemic.

 

The outbreak needs to be controlled soon in order to avoid the inflation of poultry, beef and seafood prices, according to economists.

 

Ho Chi Minh City Animal Health Division and Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a meeting recently to discuss ways to prevent blue-ear disease from entering into pig farms in the city.

 

Central and neighbouring provinces have reported many cases of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), commonly known as blue-ear disease, but so far it hasn't broken out in Ho Chi Minh City.