MANILA, PHILIPPINES – A province in The Philippines announced on Oct. 17 that it would ban imports of swine and other pork by-products to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF).

The task force in the province of Antique came to the decision after an ASF case was found in the Oton, Iloilo, province about 100 kilometers away. 

A report from the Philippine News Agency said the task force recommended an initial ban of 15 days upon the signing of an executive order while the province’s 18 municipalities implemented the ban.

 In recent years, the Philippines dealt with ongoing ASF outbreaks and continues to seek better ways to control the virus, which indirectly affects food prices. 

In July, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) announced it would work with the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) on a project to help the fight against ASF following a trade mission to the country.