THE United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that feed demand in the Philippines next year may not be as significantly affected by African Swine Fever (ASF) as previously expected, citing effective controls on pork and pork products movements by the Philippine government, which has contained the spread of the disease.

The USDA said it “lowers its MY (milling year) 2019/2020 feed wheat consumption estimate from a decline of 300,000 MT to 100,000 MT (metric tons)” for the Philippines in its Grain and Feed Update report.

The Philippine Department of Agriculture implemented a zoning plan outlining restrictions on the movement of live animals, pork and pork products.

The USDA also noted that the smaller-than-forecast decline in feed demand will be offset by a switch to commercial feed by backyard raisers who had previously used swill. Hog raisers from unaffected parts of the Philippines like the Visayas and Mindanao are also expected to seek more feed “as they ramp up production to serve the pork needs of Luzon.” — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR