April commercial release targeted for ASF vaccine from Vietnam

THE Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said it is working to ensure the commercial release by April of a Vietnamese vaccine against African Swine Fever (ASF).

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel V. de Mesa said at a briefing the possible April timing of vaccines for the commercial market will ensure that supply will be adequate even before the vaccine stocks procured by the government for a test rollout are exhausted.

The utilization rate for the 160,000 doses procured by the government is currently 17.46%. They were administered at 29 farms identified as ASF hotspots.

Mr. De Mesa said based on initial data, the ASF vaccine has been effective, with only 51 deaths recorded among inoculated hogs.

He said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. had asked the BAI to ensure that commercial approval of the vaccine is issued by the Food and Drug Administration by April.

Citing conversations with members of the hog industry, Mr. De Mesa said growers expect a “significant rebound” this year.

He said an April release should mitigate seasonal increases in ASF cases in the latter half of the year.

The hog population has fallen to nine million from 15 million since ASF was first detected in 2019, he noted.

As of March 14, there were 39 barangays in 13 provinces and 27 cities and municipalities affected by ASF, according to the BAI. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza