MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, 05 November 2019, said China is to blame for the spread of the African Swine Fever in the country as illegal shipment of food products from the Mainland were found contaminated with ASF and may have sparked the outbreak in the country.

So said Agriculture Secretary William Dar claiming that aside from illegal shipments of pork products from China, the DA also found out Vermicelli and tomato paste as to be contaminated with ASF.

“Yong mga food waste from hotels, restaurants, even the airlines, ‘yong mga food waste nila ay dinump sa Rodriguez, Rizal. At may nagkolekta ng swill feeds at ipinakain sa baboy. Doon nag-umpisa,” he said.

In relation to this, Dar said his department is pursuing legal charges against those behind the shipment.

They are now accordingly coordinating with the Manila City government and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).

In the meantime, the DA is also preparing an ASF zoning plan to curb disease spread.

The head of the swine disease task force in Dr. Reildrenin Morales said Visayas and Mindanao will be declared as free zones where meat products can be sent anywhere.

Meantime, the Administrative Region of the Cordillera, Region of Ilocos, Valley of Cagayan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Region of Bicol will be declared as surveillance zones.

Access to pork products over the declared infected areas will be restricted Morales added. (Marian Andrei Sinamban/IAMIGO/CNS)