Bulgarian Agriculture Minister: ‘Significant improvement’ in steps against African Swine Fever at Romanian border
There has been a significant improvement in disinfection measures at border crossings with Romania to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever into Bulgaria, Agriculture Minister Rouman Porozhanov said on September 10.
Porozhanov was speaking after inspecting the fence at Bulgaria’s land border with Romania near Silistra.
He said that the mechanical sprayer at Kaynardzha border checkpoint had been replaced with a disinfection device a month ago.
At the same time, officials at all border checkpoints seized raw processed meat products made from pork, put them in freezers and then destroyed them in situ, Porozhanov said.
He issued a reminder that in the village of Bozveliysko, pigs had tested negative for African Swine Fever. The tests were ordered after an outbreak of ASF in a nearby village, that had led to the pigs there being put down.
Porozhanov issued a further reminder, that the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency had posted information on its website about registering unregistered pigs in the fastest possible way. This was important for biosecurity, he said.
He met representatives of two associations of producers of industrial pig meat. They discussed the countering of the spread of the infection, the question of compensation, and restrictions on the movement of animals in some areas.
Later on September 10, Porozhanov was scheduled to hold a meeting in Bucharest with the Romanian ministers of agriculture and rural development and of water and forests.
One of Bulgaria’s demands would be to stop wild pig races in Romania, which could lead the animals to run in various directions, including towards Bulgaria.
“One of our demands will be to stop the races or at least to be informed about the days they are held. The aim is to set up an observation post and to take the necessary measures,” he said.
