The Interprofessional Agri-food Organization for White-Coat Pigs (INTERPORC) expresses its support for the measures adopted by the Catalan Government and the Spanish Government to contain the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in wild animals near Barcelona, and emphasizes the importance of full coordination with national and European veterinary authorities.
The cases detected to date have been concentrated in wild boar in a very limited area, with no farms affected. Those farms located within the surveillance zone remain under veterinary supervision and continue to operate with the most stringent biosecurity standards.
The authorities have approved the release of animals from the surveillance zone that reach the stipulated weight, with all necessary biosecurity measures in place, for slaughter. This measure is endorsed by the European Commission and the sector itself, as it complies with EU protocols.
INTERPORC reiterates that African Swine Fever has no impact on human health and is not transmitted through the consumption of meat. Products reaching Spanish consumers comply with all veterinary and food safety controls.
Economic Impact and Advocacy for Regionalization
The sector is aware of the impact of the current suspension of some export certificates, especially in third-party markets. Therefore, INTERPORC is working jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the European Commission to fully implement the principle of regionalization and limit restrictions strictly to the affected area, while maintaining commercial activity in the rest of the country.
Regarding the investigation into the origin of the outbreak, the Interprofessional Organization welcomes the fact that the authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation and an independent audit to clarify the origin of the virus. INTERPORC maintains that this process must be carried out with scientific rigor, composure, and without public speculation while the competent authorities perform their work.
INTERPORC’s CEO, Alberto Herranz, emphasized that “the response from authorities and the sector to this difficult situation has been exemplary,” and stressed that the current priorities are “helping livestock farmers and industries, containing the outbreak, and restoring normalcy to the markets as soon as possible.”
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