Taipei: Premier Cho Jung-tai on Sunday announced the extension of the ban on the transport and slaughter of pigs for ten additional days to curb the ongoing African swine fever outbreak that originated in Taichung. At a news conference, Cho emphasized that disease control measures will be strategized in five-day phases, subject to review and necessary adjustments.
According to Focus Taiwan, Cho detailed that the second “five-days of combat” has commenced with “stricter prevention and no room for relaxation,” following the initial five-day period that started when controls were first enforced on Wednesday and concluded on Sunday. After receiving initial disease-tracing data from the Taichung City government, the central government is intensifying efforts to trace pork distribution and manage seized meat, with immediate destruction mandated for any suspected infections to prevent further virus spread.
Cho outlined that food waste processing will be rigorously monitored nationwide, ensuring the safety of transportation, storage, and landfill sites. Comprehensive inspections will be carried out on the 435 pig farms legally permitted to use food waste as feed, focusing on their cooking and storage facilities. A second round of inspections at relevant sites is scheduled to begin Monday to prevent further spread.
Border quarantine will be rigorously enforced at airports, with customs officers on duty during peak travel times, and 100 percent X-ray inspections alongside increased spot checks, Cho explained. The Coast Guard and customs authorities will target smuggling operations, while local police will tackle illegal meat sales at stalls and stores.
Cho urged relevant businesses to exercise self-discipline for better control at the source, and called for public cooperation to achieve the combat plan objectives. Additionally, Chunghwa Post announced that imported containers and packages will be subject to X-ray inspections at customs, with suspected items reported to the Ministry of Agriculture for testing before domestic delivery. Quarantine detector dogs will occasionally be deployed at border checkpoints.
In Yunlin County, which accounts for about one-third of Taiwan’s pig production, the Yunlin Pig Farmers Association endorsed the 10-day extension of transport and slaughter bans to sustain the industry. Association president Wu Ying-chi expressed hopes that the government will collaborate with businesses like cold chain and meat processing operators to stabilize the market post-bans, considering a guaranteed pork price of NT$90 (US$2.92) per kilogram to avoid price volatility.
Wu highlighted that the feed conversion rate of mature pigs declines significantly after reaching 120 kg, anticipating an influx of large pigs into the market following the 15-day slaughter ban. Meanwhile, Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan of the opposition Kuomintang urged the central government to entirely prohibit feeding pigs with food waste, identifying it as a primary source of African swine fever infections. She stressed the necessity for government determination to eradicate the disease, prevent future outbreaks, and ensure public confidence in food safety.