Hog farms test negative for ASF virus, concerns remain: Minister

Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) Inspections of nearly 80 percent of hog farms yielded no new cases of African swine fever (ASF) after a recent infection was reported in Taichung, but the situation remains "tense" due to the virus's 15-day incubation period, Agriculture Minister Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) said Friday.

The first round of screening included 40 farms linked to the site in Taichung's Wuqi District -- which on Tuesday reported the country's first confirmed case of ASF since 2005, Chen told a press conference. 

● African swine fever control measures to last 15 days: MOA

Nationwide screening

Confirming the infection as ASF, Chen said a single round of testing may be insufficient, given the incubation period for African swine fever is 15 days.

"In other words, we are now entering a more tense phase," he added.

Chen, who heads the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) handling the infection, said that nationwide testing of hog farms is expected to be completed by Sunday, adding that the authorities could refine monitoring efforts if necessary.

The government has imposed a 15-day ban on slaughtering, transporting, and feeding pigs with kitchen waste to prevent the potential spread of the disease, measures that are disrupting the operations of food providers and hog farmers.

Chen said that the CEOC based in Taichung will review the implementation and impact of the measures on a daily basis, with discussions held every five days to determine if any change is necessary.

Kitchen waste debate

The case also sparked debate over whether kitchen waste should be banned as a feed source, with some, including the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), criticizing President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for opposing such a ban when he was premier in 2018.

Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan (張麗善) of the KMT said on Wednesday she imposed a ban on using kitchen waste as hog feed in late 2018, amid the ASF outbreak in China, because it exposed local farms to the risk of contagion.

Responding to the criticism, Lai countered Friday that most local government heads opposed a full ban during a meeting held at the time.

Consequently, the government set a rule that allows local governments to continue using kitchen waste to feed hogs only if they meet hygiene standards by heating the waste above 90∘C for more than an hour, according to Lai.

The president also argued that the policy effectively prevented the possible spread of the virus through improperly managed kitchen waste.

Given that local governments are in charge of issuing related recycling licenses, the central government respects their decisions regarding the use of kitchen waste as hog feed, Chen said.

However, the ministry is willing to gather information on international practices on recycling kitchen waste into feed, rather than simply using raw and unprocessed waste for hogs, Chen said.