Tien Phong newspaper cited statistics released by the MARD Veterinary Department as showing that the swine fever has to date hit 3,536 communes across 52 provinces and cities nationwide, leading to the cull of over 2.2 million pigs.

The total damage covers costs for pig culls and antiseptic substances, subsidies for affected pig breeders, among others.

During a June 4 meeting with provincial-level and sectoral officials, Nguyen Xuan Duong, acting director of the MARD Department of Livestock Production, said there are two scenarios in place for subsidies for the prevention and fight against the swine fever.

The first scheme would allow affected pig farmers to receive a subsidy level to 80 per cent of the market prices of pigs. Duong also suggested that pig breeding firms should be subsidized at a rate of 30 per cent of the market prices.

Under the second scenario, pig breeders could be provided with VND250,000 (US$10.75) - VND500,000 (US$21.5) per pig aged below two months, VND1.5 million (US$64.5) per two to four-month pig, VND2.5 million (US$107) per those aged over four months, and VND3.5-4 million (US$172) for sows.

The southern province of Dong Nai and other localities have been enforcing the second scenario. This scheme is also being used in the Chinese province of Guangdong.

Phung Duc Tien, MARD Deputy Minister, asserted that the 80 per cent subsidy has been calculated on the basis of practical developments and current market prices, which is strongly advocated by local farmers. VOV