Ag Min: Russia must eliminate ASF to continue pork exports

MOSCOW, Nov 17 (PRIME) -- Russia needs to eliminate African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious fever among pigs, or forget about pork exports, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachyov said on Friday at a meeting with farmers.

“We are overproducing to some extent and if we do not defeat this ailment, we can forget about exports,” Tkachyov said.

He said that Europe has “very strict” veterinary security rules and Russia is considering new pig farming rules and trying to adopt the Western know-hows.

“Violations (in pig management) lead to its spreading to Siberia, as far as Irkutsk,” Tkachyov said.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OiE), there is no published treatment or vaccination for ASF. The disease does not affect humans.

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