Spain has recorded its first African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak since 1994 near Barcelona. According to Reuters, the presence of the ASF virus has been laboratory-confirmed in 2 wild boars, with another 12 under examination.
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Spain – the largest pork producer and exporter in the EU – is already facing significant economic consequences. According to Agriculture Minister Luis Planas, approximately one-third of export certificates have been temporarily blocked. Restrictions have affected supplies to Taiwan, China, the United Kingdom, and Mexico.
Spanish pork exports are valued at 8.8 billion euros per year. The government is now forced to deploy military specialists to contain the outbreak.
France is already implementing additional restrictions due to wild boar activity on the border with Spain. Experts link these measures to the risks of ASF spread following outbreaks in Catalonia.
Ukraine Intensifies Its Work in the European ASF Containment System
Against the backdrop of outbreaks in Catalonia, Ukraine, through the United Council of Ukrainian Pork Producers and Processors, is strengthening coordination with the European Consortium for ASF Eradication, led by Jason Aldiss – President of the European Veterinary Union and Executive Director of the British Meat Processors Association.
Following the massive wave of ASF outbreaks in Ukraine in 2024 and the beginning of a new wave in late 2025, the need for a vaccine became evident to the entire industry. This is why Ukraine, within the framework of the European Consortium for ASF Eradication, is conducting consultations on the application of AVAC ASF Live – a vaccine that has already proven effective in Vietnam and the Philippines and has become the foundation of their ASF containment programs.
AVAC ASF Live has demonstrated:
- high effectiveness in containing outbreaks (in regions with mass vaccination, the number of ASF outbreaks decreased by 90%)
- safety for animals of different age and sex groups
- ability to sharply reduce mortality and virus transmission (after a single vaccination, 100% of pigs develop immunity within 14 days)
The Ukrainian model of integrated vaccination prevention and biosecurity – the “Ukrainian Green Bioshield” – is now being considered as a method for containing ASF in Europe. After all, the outbreaks in Spain have demonstrated that ASF is not a local threat, but a continental one.
ASF vaccination prevention is not an alternative today, but a necessity, and the experience of countries that have already implemented this approach is strategic.
Ukraine must move from “inaction” to interstate cooperation in eradicating ASF in the region.