UK to block imports of pork from Spain due to outbreak of swine fever

The UK will block Spanish pork from entering the country due to an outbreak of African swine fever, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has said.

All fresh pork and other affected products arriving into the country from Spain will be held at border control points “until further notice,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

This comes after Spain recorded its first case of African swine fever (ASF) in more than three decades in Bellaterra, near Barcelona, ​​on Wednesday.

Defra said they would monitor the situation and review measures.

Spanish farmers’ association Asaja said the sector was ready to confront the epidemic but called on authorities to address the “out-of-control presence” of wild animals that risk contaminating livestock.

In light of the news, China also banned the import of pork from the province of Barcelona.

Spain is the European Union’s leading producer of pork, with annual pork exports accounting for around a quarter of the bloc’s output, ahead of Germany, with annual pork exports of around 3.5 billion euros (£3.07 billion).

African swine fever (ASF) is a potentially fatal disease affecting pigs. Defra says this is not the same as swine flu and does not affect humans.

The disease is highly contagious and can spread if healthy pigs eat infectious produce or come into contact with infected pigs or contaminated items.

Last month, Taiwan reported its first case of African swine fever and at least 195 pigs were culled from the affected farm. Authorities also ordered a ban on the movement and slaughter of pigs across the island.

As the virus spread across Asia in 2019, millions of pigs were culled in China and Vietnam.

The virus has been spreading westward in Europe in recent years. Germany had to cull 4,000 pigs in 2021 due to reports of ASF. Croatia has been trying to control an outbreak in recent months.

Last year Defra tightened rules on personal imports of pork due to concerns about ASF entering the UK.

The British government banned personal imports of ham and other meat and dairy products from all EU countries earlier this year to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease following a rising number of cases.