MADRID: Eight more wild boar with suspected cases of African swine fever were discovered near Barcelona, La Vanguardia newspaper reported on Sunday, as Spain struggles to limit the damage to a pork export industry worth billions of euros a year.
The newspaper cited sources close to the Catalan agriculture ministry. Two cases have been confirmed, and 12 others have shown signs they may also have the disease but are undergoing tests to confirm this. If confirmed, it would bring the number of infected animals to 14.
Reuters was unable to reach the Catalan government for comment.
About a third of Spanish pork export certificates have been blocked after the first outbreak of swine fever in Spain — the European Union’s top pork producer — since 1994, Spain’s agriculture minister said on Saturday.
“Of the 400 export certificates to 104 countries, a third are blocked. We are working to open them as quickly as possible,” Agriculture Minister Luis Planas told a press conference.
Planas said the value of the country’s pork exports is 8.8 billion euros ($10.2 billion) a year. “Our task is to keep international markets open,” he added.
African swine fever is not harmful to humans but spreads rapidly among pigs and wild boar. A number of countries have already reacted to its spread in Spain.
Taiwan’s agriculture ministry said on Saturday it had banned all pork products and live pig imports, while China has banned pork imports from Barcelona province, a Chinese Customs document seen by Reuters showed.
Britain on Friday said it would temporarily stop imports of pork meat from Catalonia, and Mexico has suspended imports of pork products from Spain.
Eight more suspected swine fever cases as Spain struggles to limit export damage
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Eight more suspected swine fever cases as Spain struggles to limit export damage
- About a third of Spanish pork export certificates have been blocked after the first outbreak of swine fever in Spain
- African swine fever is not harmful to humans but spreads rapidly among pigs and wild boar
Pakistan, Afghanistan exchange heavy fire along border, officials say
- Mujahid said Pakistani forces launched attacks in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province
- “Pakistan remains fully alert and committed to ensuring its territorial integrity and the safety of our citizens,” Zaidi said
KABUL: Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire along their border late on Friday, officials from both countries said, amid heightened tensions following failed peace talks earlier this week.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani forces launched attacks in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province. A spokesman for Pakistan’s Prime Minister accused Afghan forces of “unprovoked firing” along the Chaman border.
“Pakistan remains fully alert and committed to ensuring its territorial integrity and the safety of our citizens,” spokesman Mosharraf Zaidi said in a statement.
The exchange came two days after a new round of peace talks between the South Asian neighbors
ended without a breakthrough, though both sides agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire.
The talks in Saudi Arabia last weekend were the latest in a series of meetings hosted by Qatar, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia aimed at cooling tensions following deadly border clashes in October.
At the heart of the dispute, Islamabad says Afghan-based militants have carried out recent attacks in Pakistan, including suicide bombings involving Afghan nationals. Kabul denies the charge, saying it cannot be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.
Dozens were killed in October’s clashes, the worst violence on the border since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021.
