Canada and the Philippines have signed an African swine fever (ASF) zoning arrangement, a measure that should ensure trade can continue between the countries during outbreaks of the disease.
“The work done by both countries in this arrangement will help ensure greater food security for the Philippines and a science-based approach to resolving this challenge — one we hope never impacts Canadian pork producers,” said Canadian Pork Council chair René Roy in a federal news release on Tuesday.
In 2024, Canada exported about $279 million worth of pork and pork products to the Philippines, the news release said.
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Zoning agreements set out formal understandings as to how trade might continue from disease-free zones during an ASF outbreak.
Canada has yet to see a case of ASF, however the virus has devastated hog barns in China and other Asian nations. Cases of ASF in wild boars in Spain recently disrupted trade from that nation.
Plans to minimize trade disruptions, including forming zoning agreements, have been a key push for the federal government and provincial governments as well as national and provincial pork councils.
Canada also has zoning agreements with the United States, European Union, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.
