May 9, 2013
Ukraine imposes temporary ban on Belarusian pork in fear of African Swine Fever
Ukraine issued a temporary ban on pork imports from Belarus on May 7 due to a reported outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The State Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Service said in a statement that the decision was made in consideration of media reports about the death of pigs in the Baranovichi region, west Belarus.
The last time Ukraine imposed a ban on pork imports from Belarus was in March 2012.
One case of ASF was found in Ukraine in August 2012. It was quickly culled and no further cases have been detected in Ukraine so far.
ASF, a viral disease for which there is currently no vaccine, is fatal to pigs but harmless to human beings. It is most common in small private farms.
