The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) and the Cebu provincial government are ramping up efforts to protect the region’s P30-billion hog industry from African swine fever (ASF), officials said Thursday.

DA-7 livestock and ASF focal person Zeam Voltaire E. Amper said the agency is distributing biosecurity supplies and conducting training for farmers and local government units.

“The Department of Agriculture Regional Office 7 provides support through supplies distributed via the Provincial Veterinary Offices and Municipal Agricultural Offices. To strengthen biosecurity measures, we are allocating and distributing disinfectants and other supplies,” Amper said.

He added that agricultural technicians and swine farmers are undergoing training to bolster biosecurity practices on local farms.

Meantime, Cebu Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy said her office is maintaining close coordination with municipal agriculture offices and city veterinarians to conduct active ASF surveillance.

The province has completed surveillance across 18 local government units. Of those, 16 earned Recognition of Active Surveillance certification from the Bureau of Animal Industry, Vincoy said.

The certification grants qualified raisers the clearance to ship and sell swine outside Cebu without needing an ASF-negative laboratory test for each shipment, lowering costs and easing livestock transport.

“The advantage is that once a municipality is granted a Recognition of Active Surveillance on African Swine Fever certificate by the Bureau of Animal Industry, hog raisers in that area can sell and transport pigs outside Cebu without having to secure an ASF-negative test result every time they ship their livestock,” Vincoy said.

Cebu’s swine industry has grown from P11 billion to P21 billion, while neighboring Bohol’s hog sector is valued at P9 billion.