The UK government declared that it will halt imports of Spanish pork following an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
The ministry stated on Friday that all fresh pork and related products from Spain will be detained at border control posts ‘until further notice.’
The decision follows Spain’s confirmation of its first African swine fever case in over thirty years, on Wednesday in Bellaterra, near Barcelona.
Defra stated that it would continue monitoring the situation and review the measures as needed.
Spain’s farmers’ union, Asaja, said the industry is prepared to deal with the outbreak and urged authorities to tackle the unchecked population of wild animals that could threaten livestock with contamination.
Meanwhile, China has also prohibited pork imports from Barcelona province.
Spain is the EU’s top pork producer, accounting for around one-quarter of the bloc’s total output, surpassing Germany, and exporting roughly €3.5 billion worth of pork annually.
African swine fever is a serious and potentially deadly disease affecting pigs. Unlike swine flu, it does not infect humans, according to DEFRA.
Last month, Taiwan confirmed its first ASF cases, leading to the culling of at least 195 pigs on the affected farm. Authorities also banned the transport and slaughter of pigs across the island to prevent further spread.
Last year, DEFRA introduced stricter regulations on personal pork imports due to concerns that African swine fever could reach the UK.
Earlier this year, the British government banned personal imports of ham, meat, and dairy products from all EU countries in an effort to curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease after a rise in reported cases.
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