African Swine Fever: 7400 farmers in Bulgaria apply for compensation
More than 7400 applications have been submitted by farmers in Bulgaria awaiting compensation for pigs killed because of African Swine Fever outbreaks, Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva said during Question Time in Parliament on September 5.
So far more than 2.2 million leva has been paid out, Taneva said, according to a report by Bulgarian National Radio.
Twelve districts in Bulgaria are affected by the infection, which has seen many thousands of pigs at industrial farms culled, while owners of “backyard pigs” were ordered to kill them or face penalties, along with compulsory killing of the pigs.
In one of the areas where there was an outbreak, Golyamo Vranovo, 1000 sows must be killed.
There has been no registered outbreak of African Swine Fever in domestic pigs for 22 days, the report said.
There are plans to update Bulgaria’s legislation on biosecurity, Taneva said.
She outlined the ways in which the farmers who voluntarily destroyed the animals would continue to be assisted.
“When there are no basic biosecurity measures, the epizootic risk is high, so with a view to stopping the really high intensity at the beginning of July, the most unpopular measures have been taken since late June.”
Amendments to the Hunting and Game Conservation Act unanimously adopted by Parliament first reading envisage that the Agriculture Ministry may, by order, amend the hunting deadlines and regulate the number of game stocks of wild boar in case of epizootic risk.
