Higher compensation for ASF-affected hog raisers sought

The backyard raisers, who comprise 65 percent of the total hog raisers in the country, are the ones affected.

Partylist Rep. Rico Geron said commercial hog raisers are not entitled to compensation because they are expected to have their own facilities but he is proposing to have the government include them as beneficiaries.

Local meat processing stakeholders have called on the government to increase the fund earmarked for hog raisers forced to cull their animals due to the African swine fever (ASF).

On the sidelines of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food inquiry on Wednesday, Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) Partylist Rep. Rico Geron said financial assistance to hog raisers should be equivalent or at least 70 percent of the total value of the culled hogs.

“If I am the farmer then I would do everything to at least recover my capital. The government is not providing the full subsidy of the culled hogs. Maybe they can at least raise the financial assistance to a reasonable percentage,” Geron told reporters.

Since the Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed the first ASF outbreak in the country last 9 September, the government has already released P82.5 million for ASF prevention.

Approval of the fund coincided with the creation of the National ASF Task Force (NATF) during a recent Cabinet meeting.

At the committee hearing, DA Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan confirmed that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), had greenlighted the release of another P1 billion indemnification fund for hog raisers during that cabinet meeting.

“The backyard raisers, who comprise 65 percent of the total hog raisers in the country, are the ones affected. The P1 billion fund is (released) on the assumption that only 5 percent of the total population would be affected by ASF,” Cayanan said.

Geron, for his part, asserted that the current fund can provide only P3,500 for about 300,000 hogs when the actual average market price of hogs could reach up to P10,000.

As of 1 July, the country’s total hog population stood at 12.7 million heads, of which eight million were raised in backyard farms.

“Of this fund, commercial hog raisers will not be able to get their part because they are expected to have their (own) facilities. But I am proposing that they also provide compensation for them,” Geron said.

He said he has sent a formal request to the Office of the President and DA but he has yet to receive a response from them.

At the same hearing, DBM Director Cristy Clasara disclosed that the Office of the President has approved another P18 million to indemnify hog growers in Rizal province. Another P5 million earmarked for Bulacan is currently under approval by the DBM.

To date, the DA confirmed an ASF outbreak in 14 areas in the country. ASF is a highly contagious disease among hogs but is not fatal to humans. Until now, there is still no known cure for it.