Manila – The Philippines has imposed a temporary ban on pig and pork imports from Spain after an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) was confirmed there, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel explained that the freeze applies to live pigs, pork flesh, skins, and the semen used for artificial insemination, and that it should not create a shortage or a price surge for the Christmas season. “Cold storage is full,” he told reporters, adding that existing stocks are ample to meet the expected holiday demand.
The decision follows reports from Spanish veterinary authorities to the World Organisation for Animal Health on 28 November, when ASF was detected in wild pigs in Sabadell, Valles Occidental, Barcelona. Tiu Laurel said the moratorium is essential to keep the virus out and safeguard both domestic and wild swine populations.
All sanitary and phytosanitary permits for hog shipments from Spain have been automatically revoked as a precaution for food security and public health. Under the new rule, only frozen pork products produced on or before 11 November and loaded, in‑transit, or accepted at port on or before 4 December may enter the Philippines; any goods made after 11 November will be sent back to Spain, according to Xinhua News Agency.
ASF is a highly contagious virus that can kill 100 % of affected pigs, although it poses no danger to humans. Nevertheless, it has catastrophic effects on pig farms, eroding family incomes and hampering access to education and healthcare.
The virus is resilient in the environment, surviving on clothing, footwear, vehicle tires, and on many pork items such as ham, sausage, and bacon. Consequently, human movement and inadequate biosecurity can spread the disease across borders.
Pork remains a major source of animal protein, accounting for more than a third of worldwide meat consumption. Thus, ASF threatens global food security. The disease also endangers biodiversity, impacting not just farmed pigs but also wild boars and native breeds, thereby disrupting ecosystem balance.
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