In brief
Spain's pork industry, the largest in Europe, is grappling with the economic fallout from the African Swine Fever outbreak. With a loss of up to €40 per pig and international markets halting imports, farmers face significant challenges. Steps are being taken to control the spread, including culling wild boars and enforcing rigorous biosecurity measures. Despite these efforts, the future of the industry's export status remains uncertain as prices continue to plummet. Farmers are anxious as they await resolution to the crisis that has already put a strain on their livelihoods.
Jordi Saltiveri gazes across his farmland, on which he keeps 8,000 pigs, and remembers the day late last year when the news emerged that African Swine Fever (ASF) had been detected in Spain. I felt sad, angry, impotent, he says. Once it's known that a country is positive for ASF, other countries will stop importing its pork. Saltiveri's farm is in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, where a Catalan independence flag hangs nearby. The ASF outbreak, although contained in certain areas, has led to an alarming decrease in the value of pigs, leaving farmers like Saltiveri worried about financial losses. As authorities move to control the situation, including culling wild boar to halt ASF's spread, the economic impacts grow more severe. The Spanish pork industry's exports have already declined, and farmers are urging for effective measures to prevent further losses as they grapple with an uncertain future for their businesses.
