November 18, 2010

Safe Vietnamese pork approved in disease-struck areas

Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Animal Health Department, has approved the slaughter of healthy pigs for consumption in localities hit by blue-ear pig disease, said Hoang Van Nam, director of the department.

The move was aimed at curbing the increasing price of pork in localities where the disease had hit, Nam said.

The ban on transporting, trading, and slaughtering of pigs in affected localities had unintentionally caused a decrease in the consumption of pork.

Veterinarians from local animal health departments will supervise slaughterhouse activities. To prevent the spread of the disease, the department has prohibited the transport of healthy pigs to infected areas.

The disease has infected pigs in 15 provinces nationwide, including the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces of Ca Mau, Tra Vinh, and Kien Giang in the past three weeks, the Animal Health Department reported.