The soaring trade and transport of pigs, as well as abundant supplies of pork of unknown origins and smuggled pork products, particularly in the northern provinces that border Chinese localities, during the end of 2018 and just before the Lunar New Year holiday earlier this month lie at the root of the problem.

A pig farm in Quang Ngai is under cleaning process to prevent ASF.

Daily travels between Vietnam and its neighboring nations, as well as the large number of international visitors to the country also add further concern to the issue. Many Asian passengers have the habit of bringing food, which may contain pork, during their travels, which poses a risk of introducing the disease to Vietnam, as has happened to the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Thailand.

As pork prices were high during the end of last year, profit-minded businessmen were involved in trading and distributing pigs which were ill, dead, or had unclear origins.

The MARD said most pig farms in Vietnam are of a small scale with a high density and often fail to meet hygiene standards. The situation, coupled with the unfavorable cold, rainy weather, has created a breeding ground for the disease to spread, it added.

The ASF virus does not affect humans but does cause haemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is almost always fatal. There is no antidote or vaccine, and the only known preventative measure is a mass cull of infected livestock. The disease spreads by contact between infected pigs or other wild animals and can inflict massive economic damage on farms.

In prevention of the virus, since August 2018, the MARD has organized inter-sector working teams to visit and inspect high-risk localities like Hanoi, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, and Hoa Binh.

The PM has banned the transport, trade, slaughtering, and distribution of pork products that are smuggled, suspected of being smuggled, or come from unknown origins. The illegal transport of animals and animal products from other countries into Vietnam faces strict punishment, while border routes connecting Vietnam with ASF-infected nations are tightly monitored.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), between 2017 and February 18, 2019, 20 countries and regions have suffered from the ASF, with over 1.08 million pigs culled. A total of 105 outbreaks were discovered in China from August 3, 2018 to February 18, 2019, resulting in the termination of 950,000 pigs, while one dead pig was found positive of the ASF virus in Taiwan on January 17, 2019.

Vietnam works to boost organic farming

Vietnam has been making efforts to foster organic farming, including a decree issued last August which should be implemented as soon as possible, experts told a forum in HCM City on December 25.

 

Outstanding individuals, organisations in farming honoured

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc presented awards to 200 organizations and individuals, as well as 11 businesses for their outstanding achievements in the implementation of the resolution adopted by the seventh plenum of the 10th Party Central Committee on agriculture, farmers, and rural development. 

 

Hanoi wishes for Israel’s cooperation in hi-tech farming

Hanoi wants Israeli firms who always pioneer in applying science and technology in agricultural production to cooperate with and support the city in hi-tech farming.

 

“Freshwater pearl oyster farming and culture” model enters final round of “first national start-up contest for rural youth”

(BGO) – The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union on September 24 announced the shortlist of 10 start-up ideas to the final round of “the first National Start-up Contest for Rural Youth 2018”, including the model of “Freshwater pearl oyster farming and culture” of Truong Dinh Tung (born 1992) in Dao Luoi hamlet, Dong Hung commune (Luc Nam district, Bac Giang province).

 

Website on safe farming products launched

Information on safe agricultural products will be updated on a special page for the first time, providing Hanoian consumers with the experience of identifying clean and safe agricultural products at the address: https://nongsanantoanhanoi.gov.vn.

 

Source: VNA