Taiwan bans import of pork products from Spain due to African swine fever
Taiwan has banned the import of meat and pork products from Spain after the detection of several cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars found dead in the Collserola mountain range, near Barcelona, the first outbreak recorded since 1994.
The island’s ASF Emergency Operations Center reported that, with immediate effect, it is banned entry by sea and air of any product fresh or processed pigreported the CNA news agency.
The items will be confiscated at the border and returned or destroyed, and Spain will become part of the Taiwanese list of affected territories, which implies reinforced controls at border quarantine points.
The Taiwanese authorities indicated that, although there are no direct flights between both countries, postal mail can be sent, which maintains a risk of introducing the virus. Spain is one of the main suppliers of pork to Taiwan, with exports of 25,452 tons in 2023, 16,019 in 2024 and 17,384 so far in 2025, only behind Canada.
The Spanish outbreak led this week to the Generalitat of Catalonia to activate the contingency plan after confirming the first two infected wild boars, to which four others were added.
The authorities have established a infection perimeter of six kilometers and a surveillance zone of twenty, with restrictions on access, outdoor activities and livestock movements in 76 municipalities. ASF does not affect humans, but it is highly contagious among wild boars and domestic pigs, and can cause heavy economic losses.
