UK eases pork restrictions on Spain due to African swine fever

The UK has relaxed its pork import restrictions from Spain after imposing blanket controls last week due to the detection of African Swine Fever (ASF). The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) introduced regionalisation measures, allowing pork imports from regions of Spain unaffected by ASF. However, shipments from the Cerdanyola del Valls municipality in Barcelona, where ASF was found, will still be blocked at UK border control points.

On Friday, November 28, Spains Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food issued a warning after ASF was confirmed in two wild boars found dead in Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Valls, two days earlier. The outbreak, verified by the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Algete, Madrid, marks the first occurrence of ASF in Spain since 1994. As of now, the number of cases has risen to nine, all within the same region. In response, a 20-kilometre control and surveillance zone has been established around the affected area.

A Defra representative emphasized the importance of biosecurity in the UK, stating, We take animal diseases very seriously, and our commitment to the nations biosecurity is unwavering. Following the ASF outbreak in Spain, pork products from the affected regions are restricted. However, exports from ASF-free zones in Spain can proceed as usual. The situation will continue to be monitored, and further actions will be taken as necessary.

According to data from the Spanish non-profit organization Interporc, Spain is the worlds second-largest exporter of pork, having shipped 2.7 million tonnes of pork worth over 8.8 billion ($10.2 billion) last year. The UK imported 56,000 tonnes of pork from Spain in the first three quarters of this year, marking an 11% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Lizzie Wilson, CEO of the UKs National Pig Association (NPA), expressed concern about the potential consequences of the ASF outbreak, saying, This is a worrying situation for Spanish pig farmers. Prolonged export restrictions could have significant impacts not only on Spains pork industry but also on the broader EU and UK sectors. She also highlighted the ongoing risk posed by ASF, noting the viruss ability to emerge unexpectedly, often with human involvement contributing to its spread.

Following the UKs lead, the European Commission is reportedly also taking a regionalisation approach, limiting restrictions to the affected regions of Spain. China, which initially imposed a full ban on Spanish pork, has also shifted to a regionalisation strategy, according to media reports.

Spains Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has sought assistance from the European Commissions veterinary emergency team to combat the ASF outbreak. The Ministry has also prohibited hunting in the affected zone to prevent wild boars from spreading the virus beyond the control area. Despite this, inspections of pig farms within the 20-kilometre radius have found no signs of ASF, and all farm samples have tested negative.

Author: Aiden Foster