Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • Innovation supplement 2024
    • Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. May 2025
    2. April 2025
    3. March 2025
    4. 2025 Buildings supplement
    5. February 2025
    6. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    7. January 2025
    8. December 2024
    9. November 2024
    10. National Pig Awards supplement
    11. October 2024
    12. September 2024
    13. August 2024
    14. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    15. July 2024
    16. June 2024
    17. Innovation supplement 2024
    18. Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    19. May 2024
    20. April 2024
    21. Buildings Supplement
    22. March 2024
    23. Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    24. February 2024
    25. January 2024
    26. December 2023
    27. November 2023
    28. National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    29. October 2023
    30. September 2023
    31. Health Supplement
    Featured

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
    Recent

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025

    April 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    April 4, 2025

    March 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    March 6, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
African swine fever

African Swine Fever – a growing global problem

PW ReportersBy PW ReportersMay 8, 20195 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

African swine fever, until 10 years ago largely confined to Africa, is now very much a global disease affecting all corners of the pork industry. Alistair Driver summarises the impact it is having, directly or indirectly, in different parts of the world

NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA

THE US
The US is expected to be a major beneficiary of increased Chinese export demand – the USDA is forecasting a 5% overall hike in export volumes this year. Producers are asking the US Congress for a further 600 inspectors at points of entry, after officials seized one million pounds of meat illegally imported from China in New Jersey in March.

CANADA
Canada saw a big surge in exports to China in the first quarter of this year. At the start of April, Canada introduced new rules on feed imports to protect against ASF.

ARGENTINA
In April, it was announced that Argentina has now been approved to export pork to China from 25 plants.

BRAZIL
As a major pork exporter Brazil is expected to benefit significantly from China’s import demand – the USDA forecasts a 23% rise in 2019. However, exports of soya from Brazil are being hit badly by reduced export demand. Monitoring of food products at airports was stepped up in autumn 2018 to protect the pig sector.

WESTERN EUROPE
Prices have been soaring in major pig producing countries due to extra Chinese demand. The EU has introduced a co-ordinated regionalised approach to ASF outbreaks.

BELGIUM
The virus was detected in wild boar near Belgium’s border with France in September 2018. It has since been found in more than 700 wild boar in the restricted zone, although the rate of confirmed cases is slowing.

ITALY
ASF has been endemic in the island Sardinia for 40 years. It has not been detected in mainland Italy.

DENMARK
In January, Denmark started building a 70km (43-mile) fence along its border with Germany in an effort to keep out wild boar.

THE UK
ASF has never been found in the UK. APHA rates the risk of the virus entering the UK as ‘medium’, although the risk of the pig population being exposed to it remains ‘low’, dependent on high levels of biosecurity.

AFRICA
ASF was first documented in Kenya in 1921 and, with a few exceptions remained largely restricted to Africa until well into this century.  Outbreaks are now relatively rare in Africa – there were just 56 recorded, all in domestic pigs, with 40,000 pigs lost, from 2016 to 2018, mainly in central and southern Africa.

SOUTH AFRICA
In early April, South Africa detected an outbreak on a farm in North West province. It is reported that the outbreak may be linked to contact with wild animals.

ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe is the only other country in Africa to have an outbreak recorded by the OIE in recent months.

EASTERN EUROPE
In April, cases were recorded in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. However, only Romania (61), Ukraine (7) and Poland (1) recorded cases in domestic pigs between January and March. This compared with seven countries in the summer of 2018. However, cases in wild boar appear to be increasing.

RUSSIA
An estimated two million pigs have been killed in Russia as a result of ASF, although there have only been a handful of cases in recent months. In April, the virus was discovered in sausages imported from China.

ROMANIA
Romania has the biggest ASF problem in Europe, with more than 1,000 cases in domestic pigs since July 2018.

POLAND
Poland has record more than 1,700 outbreaks in wild boar since July. While it has implemented culling policies, it is now reconsidering plans to build a fence on its eastern border.

CZECH REPUBLIC
In February, the Czech Republic became officially ASF-free. The virus was found in wild boar in June 2017, but no cases have been recorded for a year.

ASIA

CHINA
ASF has spread across the whole of China since it was confirmed there for the first time in August 2018. Government figures show China’s sow herd was 21% down year-on-year in March. Productivity is forecast to drop by anything from 10% to 35%, equating to a potential shortfall of 200m pigs. Increased Chinese pork import demand is already pushing up global pig prices.

MONGOLIA
Mongolia reported its first cases of ASF in January. Since then 11 outbreaks in six provinces have been reported, involving more than 100 farms/households.

VIETNAM
The first case in Vietnam was confirmed in February, near the Chinese border. The disease has since spread across the country, reaching 24 provinces in March, with 85,000 pigs culled. However, no new cases were reported in April.

CAMBODIA
Cambodia reported its first case in backyard pigs in Ratanakiri, near the Vietnam border, in early April. It notified OIE of three further outbreaks in the province between April 12 and 25.

JAPAN
In early April, the virus was detected in a contagious state for the first time in sausages brought in from China, prompting Japan to strengthen measures against illegal imports.

TAIWAN
The Taiwan authorities have found the ASF virus in checks at airports, including in sausages from China, on a number of occasions.

NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA
There are unconfirmed reports that the virus has been found in North Korea. The South Korean authorities have stepped up checks after the virus was found at an airport in sausages from China, in March.

AUSTRALIA
Since December, ASF has been detected in 46 pork products seized by officials at international airports and mail processing centres, as Australia steps up its efforts to keep the virus out of pigs.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleRed Tractor eMB-Pigs deadline reminder
Next Article 2019 National Pigs Awards launched – the search is on to find the best of the UK pig industry
PW Reporters

Read Similar Stories

MPs call on Government to delay IHT reforms until 2027

May 16, 2025

Government eases Germany foot-and-mouth disease controls

May 16, 2025

Q1 margins tighten further as pig prices fall and costs rise

May 15, 2025
Latest News

MPs call on Government to delay IHT reforms until 2027

May 16, 2025

Government eases Germany foot-and-mouth disease controls

May 16, 2025

Q1 margins tighten further as pig prices fall and costs rise

May 15, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1739 Devon

    • Devon
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1738 Co. Fermanagh

    • County Fermanagh
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Stockperson

    • Swaffham, Norfolk
    • DYER LIVESTOCK LTD
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.