Eight wild boar suspected of having African swine fever have been identified near Barcelona, according to a report from La Vanguardia. This development comes as Spain attempts to contain the outbreak, which poses a significant threat to its pork export industry valued at approximately €8.8 billion (about $A15.7 billion) annually.
The Catalan agriculture ministry has confirmed two cases of the disease, while an additional twelve animals are undergoing tests to determine if they are also infected. If these cases are confirmed, the total number of infected wild boar would rise to 14. As of now, the Catalan government has not provided any additional comments on the situation.
The implications of the outbreak are severe. According to Luis Planas, Spain’s Minister of Agriculture, around one-third of the country’s export certificates have been blocked following the outbreak—the first instance of African swine fever in Spain since 1994. Planas detailed that of the 400 export certificates issued to 104 countries, a third are currently halted. He stated, “We are working to open them as quickly as possible,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining access to international markets.
African swine fever, while not harmful to humans, spreads rapidly among pigs and wild boar, leading to tightening restrictions from various countries. In response to the situation in Spain, Taiwan’s agriculture ministry announced on Saturday that it has banned all imports of pork products and live pigs from the nation. Additionally, China has imposed a ban on pork imports from the Barcelona province, as indicated by a Chinese Customs document obtained by Reuters.
Other countries are also taking precautionary measures. The United Kingdom announced a temporary halt on pork meat imports from Catalonia, while Mexico has suspended imports of pork products from Spain altogether.
The swift actions taken by these nations highlight the urgency of the situation. Spain, as the European Union’s leading pork producer, faces significant challenges in managing the outbreak and safeguarding its vital export industry. As authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, the agricultural sector remains on high alert.
