Belarus restricts pork imports from Russia’s Pskov Oblast due to swine fever

MINSK, 25 July (BelTA) – Belarus has temporarily restricted pork imports from Pskov Oblast, Russia, representatives of the Veterinary and Food Control Department of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry told BelTA.

According to the source, an outbreak of African swine fever has been registered in Pskov Oblast. As of 25 July temporary restrictions are in effect on imports from Pskov Oblast. The restrictions apply to live pigs, pork, including hog meat, processed products, hides, hoofs, casings, hog hair, hunter's trophies from susceptible animals, forage and forage additives for animals of vegetable origin and animal origin, including those made of poultry and fish, forage additives for cats and dogs that have undergone thermal treatment but are made of raw materials originating from Pskov Oblast. The restrictions also cover second-hand equipment used to keep, slaughter and carve pigs.

The Veterinary and Food Control Department would like to inform about the need to take measures to prevent the import of the listed merchandise from Moscow Oblast, Smolensk Oblast, Yaroslavl Oblast, and Tver Oblast, because African swine fever is propagating in those areas.

“At the same time it is necessary to take additional measures to secure biological protection of major pig-breeding complexes and farms of all kinds of ownership,” stated the source.

African swine fever (Montgomery’s disease) is a contagious viral disease that affects domestic swine and wild hogs alike. The disease is transmitted via direct contact, via products made of pork, by ticks and mechanically (by transportation means, during the transportation of people and animals). No vaccine is available. If infected, nearly the entire livestock of the diseased swine dies out. The animals suspected to have the disease are slaughtered. The disease does not affect humans.