No outbreak of ASF in Thailand

BANGKOK, July 19 (TNA) - The Swine Raisers Association of Thailand has confirmed that there has been no spreading of the African Swine Fever (ASF) from any neighboring country into the country. The association's president, Surachai Suthitham, made the confirmation in Bangkok on July 18, urging local swine farms to follow and only heed updated information and advice officially disseminated by the Department of Livestock Development, under the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Surachai's remarks were in response to rumors spreading along border areas that the ASF virus has spread from neighboring countries into Thailand. Surachai asked for an immediate stop of such the rumors, as they have had adverse effects psychologically to the prices of live swines at local farms. "The rumors have caused a spreading panic to local swine raisers and farms, prompting a number of them to quickly sell out their live pigs before the right time, causing a steady drop in the prices of live pigs lately, from 75 baht per kilogram to about 69 baht per kilogram now. The local swine raisers and farms have, thus, been approaching a business loss from such the low price-level of live pigs", Surachai said. The association's president told journalists that the rumors have affected not only the prices and income of local swine raisers and farms, but also the swine supply on the domestic market, as several local farms have suspended their swine raising to prevent their business loss. The association's president also asked for a stop of image and video clip-shares of sick swines in neighboring countries through the press and social media networks to ease the panic among local farms and consumers. The association's president affirmed, however, that there is now enough supply of pork on the domestic market, calling for all relevant parties to be, nonetheless, on the highest alert against any ASF outbreak on the Thai soil. (TNA)