The Department of Agriculture (DA) will recommend to President Duterte the doubling of insurance coverage or compensation for pig farmers who would be affected by African Swine Flu (ASF), The compensation shall be at a minimum of P10,000 per head.

During a public hearing by the Senate agriculture and food committee chaired by Senator Cynthia A. Villar, DA Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan said the department would recommend a compensation of P10,000 for each fattener or pig to be fattened and P14,000 for each breeder, from the standard P5,000.

Cayanan said this rate has been agreed upon by the DA, Department of Finance and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporatio, and this would be sent to Malacanang.

In their recommendation, Cayanan said the national government would pay the insurance premium of backyard hog raisers with 20 heads of pig, Under this plan, government will pay P50 subsidy for insurance premiums to commercial hog raisers who will then pay P175 instead of P225.

The Pork Producers of the Philippines appealed that it should not only be hog farmers with 20 pigs but also hog farmers with 30 hogs as they are also considered backyard farmers.

At present, 33 percent of hog farmers are considered commercial farmers while 67 percent is considered backyard farmers.

Of the 67 percent, 17 percent have 20 pigs or less while others are considered semi-commercial. Without government help, the swine industry will collapse especially when bigger pork import is allowed and tariff is reduced to say, five to 10 percent.

Villar said pork importers profit whether or not tariff rates are not reduced.