Defra has launched a new campaign at the UK border, designed to help keep African swine fever out of the country.
The campaign is targeted at anyone with the potential to introduce ASF to the UK. It includes a poster campaign at UK airports and ports.
Border Force officers would also enforce controls at the border on illegal meat by searching freight, passengers and luggage and would seize and destroy illegally imported meat products, Defra said.
The disease, which poses no threat to human health but is fatal for pigs, has already spread widely across Asia - including China and Vietnam - and parts of Central and Eastern Europe. Cases have also been reported throughout Sub Saharan Africa.
This has led to the deaths of over 800,000 pigs and wild boar in Europe and an estimated four million pigs in Asia, causing global pork prices to rise.
If found in this country, it could have a devastating impact on the UK’s commercial pig stock of five million pigs, as well as the trade in pork products, Defra added.
“The virus survives incredibly well in pork meat and can survive for months in smoked, dried and cured meats and likely years in frozen meat,” said UK chief vet Christine Middlemiss.
“That’s why it is crucial anyone travelling from affected regions takes this advice seriously in order to ensure there is no spread of the disease to animals in the UK.”
National Pig Association CEO Zoë Davies welcomed the campaign as “an important step” to help keep ASF from entering the UK.
“The government has estimated a ‘reasonable worst-case scenario’ ASF outbreak could cost the country £90 million. We believe the figure would be much higher and that is why we need to mobilise every available resource and effort to help prevent such a catastrophe.”
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