A stronger oversight by local governments over large-scale pig farms and breeding farms is currently pushed by China's vice agriculture minister on Wednesday as the country continues to control the spread of African swine fever currently affecting several provinces.
In the comment posted at the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Yu Kangzhen urged local governments to look into large farms and crack down on false reporting of cases of the disease spreading in farms to gain compensation for culling.
Yu had visited Jinzhou in Liaoning on Tuesday according to the statement released to see how the efforts were running along. At that same time, major feed and pig producer Dabeinong said that one of their affiliated farms is likely affected by African swine fever. If it is confirmed, it will add to the current tally of 35 outbreaks of the disease in nine provinces since early August.
At lease 50,000 animals have already been slaughtered because of the outbreak and transport of live hogs have been banned to prevent further spread. On Wednesday, all imports of pigs and pig products from Moldova are banned, adding to the current list of banned products from Bulgaria, Belgium and Japan who are also suffering from the outbreak.
So far, African swine fever does not have a cure or a vaccine. It can be transmitted in pork products, feeds and by people.
