August 17, 2010

Cambodian pork sales plummet amid disease outbreaks

It has been reported that vendors in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, have been selling up to two-thirds less pork due to consumer disease fears.

This comes as a consequence to the outbreak of blue-ear disease in the country and the warnings relayed by government officials to consumers that if pork meats from infected animals are eaten, illness (severe diarrhea) could occur in people who have had the meat from animals which have not been cooked properly.

However, a UN official stated that the disease could not be contracted by humans.

Earlier in the month, a ban on pig imports from Thailand and Vietnam was put in place in order to halt the spreading of the disease.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the blue ear disease is now affecting Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand and thus it advised all concerned authorities to take more precaution activities in order to stop the spread of the disease.

It advised that concerned authorities to take more actions such as closely monitoring the transport of pigs from one place to another.