The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development organised a conference in Hanoi on October 17 to strengthen measures aimed at controlling the spread of the disease and applying biosafety procedures in breeding activities as a means towards greater sustainable development.

At the conference (Photo: Kinh Te Do Thi  (Urban Economics) Newspaper)

According to statistics, since the first outbreak of the African swine fever (ASF) was detected in February, the epidemic has been reported in over 8,200 communes in 650 districts in 63 provinces and cities nationwide.

As a result, 5.6 million pigs weighing approximately 320,000 tons have been culled, accounting for 8.3 per cent of the country’s total weight of pigs.

In Hanoi alone, the ASF epidemic has been discovered in nearly 40 per cent of all pig farming households across 24 districts and towns. This has led to 535,500 swine being destroyed, making up nearly 29 per cent of all of the capital’s pigs, with a total weight of approximately 37,000 tons.

At present, 3,591 communes in 412 districts in 56 provinces and cities have passed 30 days with no new outbreaks. In addition, over 80 per cent of communes in 10 provinces and cities have passed 30 days. Most notably, Hung Yen province have been able to be declared free from the epidemic recently.

According to experts, the ASF epidemic has passed its peak and is now on a downward trend. It is expected that by the end of October, an additional 500,000 pigs will be culled, a fall of 60.7 per cent in comparison with the peak stage of May.