Analysis African Swine Fever
AVP does not only affect the German pig sector
The number of African swine fever infections in Germany continues to rise. Yesterday (October 22), another 6 cases were confirmed. The counter in Brandenburg now stands at 86 officially registered infections.
The first boar that tested positive was officially registered more than a month ago, on September 10. The number of infections is now rising sharply. By far the most infected animals, 69 out of 86, were found in the Oder-Spree district. In the Spree-Neisse district, 13 carcasses were tested positive and the remaining 4 were found in Märkisch-Oderland. To date, German pig farming is still free from African swine fever.
take hits
The German pig sector has been hit hard by the ASF outbreak, the effects of which are also permeating other European pig countries. For example, China recently removed Germany from the import list, causing the sales market for German pork to shrunk considerably. As a result, more German meat enters the European market, which in turn causes other countries to experience problems in sales. Not only the German pig sector is experiencing problems from the ASF outbreak, arable farmers and dairy farmers are also feeling the consequences.
Harvest problems
As a result of the outbreak, arable farmers, livestock farmers and animal feed companies are limited in their activities. As a result, not only the pig farmers are facing a financial crisis, but actually the entire German agricultural sector in the affected areas.
Arable farmers in contaminated areas have limited or no access to their fields due to limited transport in the region. As a result, the fields cannot be edited. Farmers who are within a radius of 3 kilometers of an infection site are not allowed on the land.
As a result, many arable farmers have not been able to sow winter crops and in many places the potatoes and beets are still in the ground. The maize has also remained in many places. The latter in particular is said to remain so for a while. More and more places in Brandenburg are easing restrictions, so that winter wheat sowing is possible again and the last harvests can still be harvested. But the cornfields must remain, this is because wild boars prefer to be in cornfields. When the crop is harvested, the animals are driven out, increasing the chance of ASF spreading. The chance of further contamination then increases, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. A big blow for the livestock farmers who now have to miss part of their ration to be supplemented.
compensation
Compensation schemes should provide a small relief. For example, the Disease Protection Act ensures that arable farmers and livestock farmers are compensated for the losses they suffer. In addition, there is a crop failure insurance. Both schemes have been adjusted so that payments are also made in the event of a failed harvest due to an ASF outbreak.
However, there is also a downside to compensation. Many livestock farmers now see their feed rations, sometimes unnecessarily, go to waste on the land. According to them, a compensation amount is a welcome compensation, but not a solution. Given the drought of recent years, which certainly also affected Germany, there is little availability. So it remains to be seen whether the ration can be supplemented with purchases from the market. It is nice if there is money, but as long as there is no food to spend it on, it becomes a difficult story.
Jorine Cosse
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