The newspaper quoted informed sources from the Ministry of Agriculture in the Catalonia region as saying that two confirmed cases of the disease have been recorded, while symptoms of infection have appeared in twelve other pigs, and tests are currently underway to confirm their infection.
If these infections are confirmed, the total number of infected animals will reach fourteen. Reuters was unable to obtain comment from the Catalan government.
Cancellation of one-third of meat export certificates
Agriculture Minister Luis Planas said on Saturday that about a third of Spanish pork export certificates had been canceled after the first appearance of African swine fever in the country, the largest pork producer in the European Union, since 1994.
He added in a press conference: “Out of 400 export certificates to 104 countries, a third of the certificates have been canceled. We are working to reissue them as quickly as possible.”
Planas explained that the country’s pork exports are worth “8.8 billion euros ($10.2 billion) annually.” He stressed that “our mission is to keep international markets open.”
