Concerns about African swine fever are growing
The spread of African swine fever (ASF) in Europe has caused great concern in Spain, where the meat sector fears that a single outbreak on a farm could have disastrous repercussions for the entire industry. This disease, which only affects pigs and wild boars, has caused outbreaks in several European countries since its arrival in 2014 through Georgia, although Spain has remained disease-free since 1995.
The situation is critical, given that there is no effective vaccine to protect animals, which represents a serious risk. A single positive case could lead nations outside the European Union to ban the import of pork products from all of Spain, which would severely impact the economy of numerous farms in the country.
Concern for the Wild Boar
The main cause for concern is wild boar, which is considered a vector for the disease. According to Higuera , an industry representative, who spoke to the newspaper "The Objective," African swine fever affects only domestic pigs and wild boar. It is not transmitted to other animals or humans, but its circulation among them is alarming.
The proliferation of wild boars in the European Union is evident, and Higuera warns that "the movement of wild boars represents a significant risk," as the disease is being spread through them. For this reason, he calls on authorities to implement measures to control the wild boar population, given that farms are taking precautions in terms of biosecurity and pig transport.
Hunting as a possible solution
The livestock sector is in a vulnerable position, given that wild boar population control is beyond its control. The current situation in Spain and Europe is one of wild boar overabundance, which increases the risk of infection. Furthermore, there are warnings about the danger of meat products from infected wild boar entering the country, which could keep the virus alive and susceptible to infecting other wild boars.
Hunting is presented as an essential tool for managing the wild boar population and, therefore, reducing the risk of African swine fever in the country. The livestock community hopes that the authorities will act quickly to stabilize the wild boar population and protect the Spanish meat industry from this imminent threat.
In short, African swine fever has become a matter of great concern in Spain, and the meat sector is closely monitoring the spread of this disease in Europe.
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