Vietnam Grapples with Surging African Swine Fever Outbreaks, Raising Food Security Concerns

Vietnam is currently confronting a severe resurgence of African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious viral disease that has long haunted global pork producers. The escalation in outbreaks across the country has sparked alarm within the agricultural sector and among government officials, as the implications for pork supply and food security intensify.

ASF first gained global attention in 2018–2019, when it decimated nearly half of China’s domestic pig population, causing losses exceeding $100 billion. While the virus poses no threat to human health, its impact on animal husbandry and food supply chains is profound, particularly in pork-dependent economies like Vietnam.

According to state media reports on Tuesday, Vietnam has recorded 972 outbreaks of African swine fever since the beginning of 2025—a sharp increase from the 514 outbreaks reported just two weeks earlier. The number of infected pigs has more than tripled during this period, rising from 30,000 to over 100,000. These animals have either died from the disease or been culled to prevent further spread.

Nguyen Xuan Duong, chairman of the Animal Husbandry Association of Vietnam, confirmed the breadth of the crisis, stating, “ASF has broken out on a very large scale, spreading across the country, seriously affecting the livestock industry, especially the supply of pork.” He noted that no province remains untouched.

In response, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued an urgent directive calling on provincial authorities and government agencies to implement emergency containment and control measures. The government emphasized that the outbreaks pose a direct threat to national food supply chains.

Vietnam has been at the forefront of efforts to combat ASF biologically. In 2023, the country became the first in the world to commercialize an ASF vaccine, developed by AVAC Vietnam JSC. However, vaccine deployment has been sluggish. Officials attribute the low uptake to lingering concerns over cost-effectiveness and efficacy, particularly among small and medium-scale farmers.

“Vaccination is just a supporting tool that cannot replace basic prevention measures,” Duong emphasized, suggesting that improved biosecurity and early detection remain the backbone of disease control.

AVAC Vietnam has yet to comment publicly on the current outbreak. Previously, the company reported domestic sales of 3 million vaccine doses and exports of 600,000 doses to markets including the Philippines and Indonesia.

The dramatic surge in ASF outbreaks threatens not only Vietnam’s domestic pork industry—which plays a crucial role in the country’s agricultural GDP—but also regional food stability. Vietnam ranks among the largest pork consumers in Asia, and any sustained disruption could lead to rising food prices, supply shortages, and increased import dependency.

The outbreak comes at a time when global food systems remain vulnerable due to climate change, geopolitical tensions, and post-pandemic supply chain fragility. Investors and agri-food stakeholders will be closely monitoring Vietnam’s response in the weeks ahead.

With the virus spreading rapidly and containment proving difficult, Vietnam faces an uphill battle in controlling the ASF outbreak. While the existence of a commercial vaccine is a promising development, the success of disease management will depend heavily on coordinated national efforts, increased biosecurity measures, and greater public-private collaboration.

The coming months will be critical in determining whether Vietnam can curb the outbreak before it spirals into a full-scale agricultural crisis.

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Source: Vietnam Insider