African Swine Fever Reaches Western Europe in Blow to EU Pork Exports

Източник: pixabay

TWO cases of African swine fever have been identified in wild boars in Belgium - sparking fears of an ban on exports to non-EU countries which would come as a crippling blow to the pork industry.

And the news has also prompting neighbouring France to call for measures to prevent the disease spreading further.

Swine fever - which humans are not susceptible to - is a viral infection which causes haemorrhages in pigs, and which is usually fatal.

The disease has been present in Eastern Europe for several years - but this is the first time it has been identified in the west of the continent, in this instance in Wallonia near the French border.

There is no vaccination or cure, and when it was discovered at Europe's second-largest farm in Romania at the end of last month, authorities culled about 140,000 pigs.

Germany - the EU's largest exporter of pork - has sent experts to eastern Europe to advise on how best to stop its spread.

And Denmark - another country closely associated with the pork industry - has even announced plans for a fence along its border with Germany to keep the virus out.

A statement issued by France's Ministry of Agriculture said: "The confirmation today of the presence of the virus in Belgium (in the west of the EU) represents a new progression of the disease, which requires an adequate response given the considerable economic interests at stake for the French agri-food chain."

Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert is asking for restrictions on some activities such as hunting and has called for enhanced surveillance of livestock and wildlife in four administrative regions which border Belgium.

The plan also included a strengthening of measures to prevent the...

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