DA doubles financial assistance for hog raisers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has doubled its financial assistance to put up bio-secure hog facilities to help in the continued recovery of the industry amid ongoing cases of African swine flu (ASF) in the country.

In a latest memorandum circular, the DA raised its fund grant to P10 million from P5.5 million under the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives For Recovery And Expansion (INSPIRE) program’s component 1, which is calibrated repopulation, and expansion of production through farm clustering and consolidation.

The grant will be given to qualified farmer cooperative and associations (FCAs) that opt to establish a new bio-secure facility.

Under the new funding coverage, the FCA will receive P6 million for the bio-secure facility, which is inclusive of the perimeter fence, climate-controlled animal house, waste management, basic farm equipment, office and shower area.

A P2.4-million funding will cover the procurement of 300 heads of piglets, P1.5 million for feeds and biologics support, and P100,000 for other items such as disinfectants, for a total of P10 million.

To qualify for the grant, FCAs are required to have a minimum land of 2,000 square meters.

In the same circular, the DA expanded its options for FCAs without existing facilities.

They can now avail of another package with a fund grant of P5 million to put up a conventional type of animal house, inclusive of the perimeter fence and basic farm equipment (P3.14 million), to procure 100 heads of piglets (P800,000), feeds (P1 million), and other items such as disinfectants and test kits (P60,000).

FCAs availing of this option need to have a minimum land area of 1,000 square meters.

For this year, the DA hopes to restore pork production in Regions 2, 3 and 4-A to ensure adequate and accessible supply within the NCR and its surrounding areas.

It said these areas had “sizeable decrease in the breeder base population.”

The DA also said Region 7, which is a green zone area or free from ASF, is suitable for breeder base expansion.

“It is important and essential that Region 7 be continuously supported to maintain and capacitate its flourishing swine industry thru the INSPIRE Program,” it said.

Meanwhile, the agency said the regions are authorized and allowed to provide budgetary assistance to qualified FCAs and implement Component 2 of the INSPIRE program.

“The funding coverage of P10 million includes the following: procurement of 220 PS/F1 stocks, feeds, biologies, test kits and disinfectants,” it said.

Component 2 provides for the recovery of the pre-ASF breeder base population through the establishment of multiplier and production farms to produce genetically superior gilts and finishers animals.

The DA said qualified FCAs must comply with requirements, such as a vacant existing farm, an existing farm with biosecurity level II, and an existing farm with a minimum capacity of 300 sows.

Based on latest data from the Bureau of Animal Industry, there are 12 provinces  with active cases of ASF as of Feb. 2. These are Cagayan, Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Camrines Sur, Iloilo, Northern Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.

The INSPIRE program was launched to implement calibrated repopulation and enhancement of the local swine industry to recover the sector’s capacity to produce sufficient supply of hogs and pork.

The DA also launched the Bantay ASF sa Barangay or BABay ASF Program to complement the INSPIRE program, with the aim at instituting biosecurity and disease control measures with strong collaboration between the agency, its relevant agencies, with concerned local government units and stakeholders taking ownership of such program benefitting the farmers.