Belarus suspends pork imports, transit from Lithuania
MINSK, 27 January (BelTA) – On 25 January Belarus imposed a ban on the import and transit of pork from Lithuania over the spread of the African swine fever (ASF) in the country, BelTA learnt from the department of veterinary and food supervision of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Belarus.“According to the information provided by the spokesman of the State Food and Veterinary Service of the Republic of Lithuania, the virus was detected in the examined dead boars," the department said.
Temporary restrictions apply to the import and transit of live hogs, pork, including meat of wild boar, by-products, leather, offal products, hunting trophies obtained from the susceptible species of animals, feed made from raw materials originating from Lithuania. The ban also applies to the second-hand equipment for maintenance and slaughter of hogs.
The department of veterinary and food supervision insists on the need for additional control measures to ensure biological safety of large hog-breeding farms and also the farms of all types of ownership. Belarus cancels all previously issued permits for the import of the above-mentioned products from the region.
Due to border-free movement of goods, subject to veterinary control, inside the European Union, the State Veterinary Service of Belarus will conduct consultations in the near future with the state veterinary services of Russia, Kazakhstan and the EU countries on the introduction of temporary restrictions on the supply of the abovementioned products to the Customs Union.
African swine fever is a contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild swine. The disease is transmitted via direct contact, via products made of pork, by ticks and mechanically (by transportation means, during the transportation of people and animals). No vaccine is available. The animals suspected to have the disease are slaughtered. The disease does not affect humans.