The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) recorded a decrease in swine inventory and prices in the country in the third quarter amid the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in some parts of Luzon.
As of October 1, 2019, the PSA said there were only 13.01 million heads of swine in backyard and commercial farms. This was a 0.9% decrease from 13.13 million heads in the same period in 2018.
Swine inventory in backyard farms went down by 1.7% to 8.2 million heads, but stocks in commercial farms went up by 0.6 percent to 4.81 million in the same period.
Central Luzon recorded the highest swine inventory of 2.21 million heads. This was followed by CALABARZON and Western Visayas with stocks of 1.57 million heads and 1.27 million heads, respectively.
The combined stocks of these three regions accounted for 38.8% of the country’s total swine inventory.
The PSA also reported that the average farmgate price of hogs upgraded for slaughter in July to September 2019 was P103.66 per kilogram, liveweight, or 10.2% lower than the average farmgate price of P115.40 per kilogram, liveweight, in 2018.
The highest average farmgate price was recorded in July, before the ASF outbreak, at P106.02 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest was noted in September at P100.80 per kilogram, liveweight, when ASF cases have spread to nearby provinces.
Production, or the actual volume of locally-raised swine disposed for slaughter, was higher by 2% at 551.62 thousand metric tons, liveweight in July to September 2019.
For the period, 11 regions recorded increases in production relative to their levels in 2018.
Among these regions, CALABARZON reported the highest increase of 8.4%, from 89.26 thousand metric tons, liveweight in 2018 to 96.74 thousand metric tons, liveweight in 2019.
Central Luzon was also the highest producing region in terms of hog production at 102.92 thousand metric tons, liveweight.
This was followed by CALABARZON and Western Visayas with production levels of 96.74 thousand metric tons and 46.47 thousand metric tons, liveweight, respectively.
These three regions contributed 44.6 percent to the country’s total hog production.
The first ASF case was confirmed by the Department of Agriculture on July 25, 2019.
So far, ASF cases have been reported in 22 areas in the provinces of Rizal, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Cavite, as well as in Quezon City, according to a situation update by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The same report said around 62,000 pigs have been culled and more than 60 other local government units have banned shipments of live hogs, pork and pork-based products from Luzon. (Ventures Cebu)