August 9, 2010

Disease-free Thai hogs safe for exports

Exports of live swine remain at normal levels as no outbreak of the blue-ear disease has been detected on Thai hog farms, according to Thailand's Livestock Development Department.

The statement follows reports from Cambodia that it had banned hogs imports after the blue-ear disease were smuggled into the country from Vietnam, infecting other hogs.

The department says Thailand exported 200,000 live hogs to Cambodia last year worth THB12 billion (US$0.37 billion) and 80,000 live hogs worth THB6,000 (US$188) each in the first half of this year, and no outbreak of the disease had been reported among them.
 

Thai hog farms have generally adopted a standardised farming system and exporting live hogs to Cambodia requires disease-free certification from the Livestock Development Department and prior approval to move them, the department chief says.