Japan, Mexico… the first countries to close their doors to Spanish pigs after the first case of African swine fever
The location this Friday of first outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in Spain since November 1994 in the Barcelona town of Bellaterra has been a real setback for some jewels of our countryside: pork. Specifically, as reported by the general director of Health of Agri-Food Production and Animal Welfare Emilio García Muro, of the more than 400 types of export certificates 121 have been blocked. Furthermore, countries like Japan and Mexico have already closed their doors to Spanish pork exports. Other relevant destinations such as United States, United Kingdom either South Korea They will limit their restrictions to the area affected by the outbreak since they admit what is called ‘regionalization’. As to Chinaone of the largest consumers of Spanish pork (last year it was exported to the Asian giant worth 570.7 million euros), signed a protocol to protect pork exports due to this disease during the recent trip of the Kings of Spain, which limits the veto of exports to infected areas.
García Muro has reported that, in the case of China, they have already notified the outbreak before the agreed 24 hours and requested the activation of the protocol signed during the recent visit of the Kings of Spain to the Asian power. It opened the door to a regionalization of exports by province in the case of swine fever, that is, that the appearance of a focus of this viral disease would not mean the closure of a market of the relevance of China. The general director of Health of Agri-Food Production and Animal Welfare has pointed out that “We already have the acknowledgment of receipt from the Ministry of Customs of China” and added that “the authorities of this country have already asked us for technical information.” In any case, Spanish exports have already seen the Asian giant’s door partially ajar since two export certificates have been blocked at the request of the Chinese counterparts, among them, that of salted pork intestines.
