MANILA, (PIA) -- The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has warned of a possible shortage of pork supply in the country due to the spread of the African swine fever, which has been a long-standing problem in the local hog industry.

In the early part of March, three barangays in Carcar city, Cebu were placed under a state of calamity due to reported cases of due ASF where approximately P300,000 was lost in income from a hog raiser.

While P100 billion was lost in Luzon where some farmers decided to temporarily stop raising pigs and those selling pork sold other meat products

As for the Department of Agriculture (DA), it said they will find a way to alleviate the impact of ASF on the local industry.

Based on the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), it appears that pork production increased by 3.4% in the last quarter of 2022, but the entire agriculture sector recorded a full-year drop in production, which is the third consecutive year of low production. (PIA-NCR)