Bulgaria’s Agriculture Minister: 42 outbreaks of ASF in 2019
There were 42 registered outbreaks of African Swine Fever in Bulgaria in 2019, eight at industrial farms, Agriculture Minister Dessislava Taneva said in a report rounding up the year.
Taneva described African Swine Fever as the “challenge” that faced agriculture in Bulgaria in 2019.
About 140 000 pigs were affected, and there were 200 cases of affected wild pigs, she said.
This year, about 70 million leva (about 35 million euro) had been spent on prevention activities and compensation related to African Swine Fever. Of this, nine million euro had been provided by the European Commission, with a further 22 million euro expected to be co-financed.
Taneva thanked all the farmers who carried out the recommendations made by the state, and said that thanks to them, the disease was managed.
She said that 51 countries were affected by African Swine Fever and 6.6 million pigs had been killed this year.
At the beginning of 2020, legislative amendments are to be adopted, including to the Veterinary Act, which will regulate the conditions for raising domestic pigs. All of the amendments are designed to enhance biosecurity measures.
In 2019, Bulgaria’s response to African Swine Fever was the culling of more than 130 000 pigs, restrictions on hunting, and announcement of measures in affected zones to prevent the spread of the disease. Reports at the close of December said that in a year, the price of pork in Bulgaria had doubled.
(Photo: Scott Bauer)
