The spread of swine fever poses a direct threat to pig farms across the country, particularly in the north. In the regions of Piedmont and Liguria, as well as parts of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, six farms have already been affected by the disease. This has led to the culling of thousands of pigs to prevent further transmission.
"The new outbreaks require prompt investments to improve biosecurity on farms. We can no longer stand by helplessly as thousands of healthy animals are arbitrarily slaughtered due to the virus spreading within an out-of-control wild population," explained Coldiretti president Ettore Prandini to ANSA.
"The new outbreaks require prompt investments to improve biosecurity on farms. We can no longer stand by helplessly as thousands of healthy animals are arbitrarily slaughtered due to the virus spreading within an out-of-control wild population," said Coldiretti chairman Ettore to the Italian news agency ANSA.
Before the swine fever outbreak in Italy two and a half years ago, Coldiretti had called for the construction of fences and barriers near major transport infrastructure such as railways and highways. If these measures had been implemented, these problems could have been avoided today, it is now said.
Not only Italy, but also other European countries are struggling with the rapid spread of African swine fever. In France, the chairman of the largest farmers' union, FNSEA, has raised alarm over the disease’s impact on agricultural production. The situation in other countries, such as Estonia and Poland, is also concerning.