October 22, 2025 | Taichung City, Taiwan – The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) at a pig farm in Wuqi District, Taichung City, resulting in the deaths and culling of more than 270 pigs. The announcement prompted the ministry to impose an immediate nationwide ban on feeding pigs with kitchen waste to prevent further spread of the virus.
According to the MOA, the infected farm reported unusual pig deaths starting October 10. The Taichung City Animal Protection Department inspected the site on October 14, but since conditions appeared to have stabilized, no samples were collected at that time. However, by October 20, the situation had worsened, with 117 pigs dead. Emergency testing conducted the following day confirmed the presence of African swine fever.
Authorities swiftly responded by ordering the culling of the remaining 155 pigs to contain the outbreak.
The farm’s owner, identified only by the surname Chen, told reporters that he was unsure how the infection occurred and declined to provide further details. “I only know that the pigs died, and those that didn’t were culled. There are no pigs left on the farm now,” Chen said.
Investigators revealed that the Wuqi pig farm had purchased pigs from Tanzi District on September 30 and helped transport animals to Da’an District, though no pig deaths were reported at those locations.
During a press conference held Wednesday morning, the MOA reiterated the serious threat posed by ASF to Taiwan’s swine industry and emphasized the importance of strict biosecurity measures. Officials announced that feeding pigs with food scraps or kitchen waste is now prohibited nationwide, as such practices can introduce the virus to farms.
The ministry urged all pig farmers to remain vigilant, report any abnormal pig deaths immediately, and adhere to government-mandated disinfection and containment protocols to safeguard the industry from further outbreaks.