Taiwan to Stop the Mandatory Classical Swine Fever Vaccination to be the Only Nation of Fever-free Area in Asia, 2024

Council of Agriculture (COA), Executive Yuan announced that domestic pigs and piglets would not have to be vaccinated for classical swine fever, starting from January 2023. Also, vaccination will not be mandatory for breeding pigs from July, the government will apply to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) for Taiwan to be recognized as free-area or classical swine fever.

According to Chen, Chi-Chung (陳吉仲), Minister of COA, that since Asian nations are the area of classic swine fever. It means significantly if Taiwan free the vaccination of three major diseases; foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever and African swine fever which earn the recognition for Taiwan on pork production of the globe. According to the schedule, Taiwan will become a traditional swine fever-free area in 2023, and pork can be exported to Japan.

According to the plan of the Council of Agriculture which divided into two phases; the first phase (January 1^st, 2023, to June 30^th, 2023) Taiwan Island, Penghu area, Matsu area and Kinmen area, the implementation for newborn pigs and meat pigs to stop receiving vaccination of classical swine fever (excluding breeding pigs); and the second phase (from July 2023) all pigs nationwide will stop being vaccinated for classical swine fever.

According to the regulations of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), if there is no case of classical swine fever after one year of the free of vaccination, that is, if there is no case before the end of June 2024, the data can be prepared in the second half of the year and an application can be submitted to WOAH to become a classical swine fever-free area, and subject to the review and approval of member states to be officially reclassified as an classical swine fever-free area.

In addition to domestic supply, priority is given to exporting to neighboring countries. For example, pork fillet with high unit price is exported to Japan, and offal including pig hearts and livers are exported to Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines. Fried pork skin is also available for export in Southeast Asia. Department of Animal Industry, COA, added.