Suspected swine fever cases rise as Spain struggles to limit export damage

Eight more wild boar with suspected cases of African swine fever were discovered near Barcelona, La Vanguardia newspaper reported on Sunday, as Spain struggles to limit the damage to a pork export industry worth billions of euros a year.

The newspaper cited sources close to the Catalan agriculture ministry. Two cases have been confirmed, and 12 others have shown signs they may also have the disease but are undergoing tests to confirm this. If confirmed, it would bring the number of infected animals to 14.

The Catalan government, which declined to confirm the number of cases, on Sunday requested the help of specialists from the army to contain the outbreak.

“Of the 400 export certificates to 104 countries, a third are blocked. We are working to open them as quickly as possible,” Agriculture Minister Luis Planas told a press conference.

Planas said the value of the country’s pork exports is €8.8 billion (US$10.2 billion) a year. “Our task is to keep international markets open,” he added.