Spain has blocked about one-third of its pork export certificates after confirming its first outbreak of African swine fever in 30 years, Agriculture Minister Luis Planas said on Saturday.
Government data shows Spain is the world’s fourth-largest pork producer and home to the European Union’s biggest herd, alongside a large wild boar population and high domestic consumption.
Planas said that “of the 400 export certificates to 104 countries, a third are blocked,” adding that officials were working to reopen them swiftly. The virus, last detected in Spain in 1994, was found in six wild boar near Barcelona. Spain’s pork exports are valued at 8.8 billion euros ($10.20 billion), with 58% shipped to EU markets. Exports within the European Union remain unaffected except for those originating from within 20 kilometres of the outbreak.
A growing number of countries have imposed restrictions following Spain’s announcement. Taiwan on Saturday banned all Spanish pork products and live pigs. China has blocked pork imports from Barcelona province, according to a Customs document seen by Reuters. Britain has temporarily halted pork imports from Catalonia, while Mexico has also suspended shipments.
Catalonia has closed the Collserola natural park, where the infected wild boar were found, and restricted outdoor activities in 60 surrounding villages. Authorities plan to set traps for wild boar and deploy police to enforce access controls. African swine fever does not infect humans but spreads quickly among pigs and wild boar.
China’s ban comes as Spain seeks to expand its presence in the Chinese pork market at a time when Beijing has imposed tariffs on EU pork as part of an anti-dumping probe. A separate Customs database entry showed China has also suspended imports from plants in the affected area operated by 12 companies, including major exporters Costa Food Meat and Matadero Frigorifico Avinyo.
Spain, the EU’s largest pork producer with annual pork exports of about 3.5 billion euros ($4.05 billion), has temporarily halted all pork shipments to China as a precaution while awaiting confirmation that Beijing has implemented a protocol restricting trade only from the affected province, senior agriculture ministry official Emilio Garcia said.
(With Inputs from Reuters)
