July 10, 2014    

Latvia's pork industry hit by ASF
 

Following the detection of African Swine Fever (ASF) in late June in Latvia, countries such as Belarus and Switzerland are banning hog and pork imports from the country.

Latvia may declare a state of emergency in the eastern part of the country, near its border with Belarus and Russia, to fight the outbreak of ASF. ASF was discovered in Latvia at the end of June and earlier in both Lithuania and Poland.

For Belarus, the ban also applies to animal feed and feed additives that have not been thermally treated and produced after June 27 from raw materials originating in Latvia, as well as equipment used to transport animals and materials susceptible to the ASF virus.

"Infection has gotten into wild boars and we don't know how long it will continue to spread," said Maris Balodis, the head of the country's Food and Veterinary Service. "Therefore, steps which can be done in an emergency situation are preferable at this moment."

Latvia's agriculture minister, Janis Duklavs, said the government wanted to announce an official state of emergency in the region but the final decision will be made by parliament, which is expected to vote on the issue this Thursday.

A lethal threat to commercial pig farms, ASF has spread throughout the Balkans, the Caucasus and Russia since 2007, and is endemic to areas of Africa, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation.