4 new cases of swine fever in Poland

After African swine fever was already detected on a Polish pig farm last week, it is now again a hit. According to Polish media, the virus was found again this week on 4 pig farms.

Last week it concerned a company with 6.000 pigs. The reports made this week concern relatively small pig farms in eastern Poland; ranging from 20 to about 300 pigs. The hygiene protocols at these so-called backyard farms are often less tightly organised. The authorities have ordered all animals on the infected farms to be culled.

Lots of notifications
The Polish media are already talking about an African swine fever wave. So far in 2018 there have been about 15 reports of African swine fever on Polish pig farms. This means that the country has the most outbreaks within the European Union. In Romania, 3 pig farms have already been affected this year. Outside Europe, in Ukraine, African swine fever has already been reported on a pig farm more than 30 times.

More than 1.300 Polish cases have been reported in the wild this year alone. Hundreds of cases are also involved in other Eastern European countries. In Germany the government intends to tighten up the prevention measures. Other European countries, such as Denmark, takes measures. In the Netherlands, agriculture minister Carola Schouten said at the beginning of this year that the chance is small that The Netherlands is affected.

Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is editor-in-chief of Boerenbusiness. He also focuses on dairy, pig and meat markets. He also follows (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

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