ASF scandal in Thailand
Thailand reported last month the first African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in the country but there are heavy doubts about the real situation in the country. As ASF was spreading across Asia, with huge impact reported in countries such as China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, Thailand was seen as a safe ground from the disease. However, small farmers are now accusing the Thai government of covering up the real situation, as 300,000 pigs were culled between 2019 and 2021 in the country.
Officially, Bunyagith Pinprasong, director of the Bureau of Disease Control and Veterinary Services, agrees with the number but claims that most pig deaths were due to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), according to Reuters. Also, official data reveals that ASF is now present in 22 areas in 13 provinces and almost 500 pigs have been culled in smallholder farms. "There's no way authorities didn't know. Pigs died all over the country and they still said no outbreak. Why the cover-up?," asked Thai pig farmer Jintana Jamjumrus, quoted by Reuters.
Over the last two years, 100,000 smallholders in the swine sector have closed operations. Only 79,000 farms are now registered in Thailand and losses in small farmers' herds are about 1 million pigs, almost half of the reduction reported in the Thai national pig inventory last year, 10,85 million from 13,1 million in 2020. This sharp reduction (-17%) has pushed pork prices in Thailand to an all-time high in January ($6.47/kg). Last month, Thailand announced a temporary ban on live pig exports until April to restock the remaining farms.
In March last year, Vietnam, one of the main importers of Thai pigs decided to ban imports from this country, as traces of ASF were found in a pig shipment.
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