Official: Foot-and-mouth disease ruins Primorsky Region pig farms

VLADIVOSTOK, Apr 23 (PRIME) -- More than 100,000 pigs died due to an epidemy of foot-and-mouth disease in the Primorsky Region, almost devastating the pork business, Governor Oleg Kozhemyako said in a speech to the regional parliament on Tuesday.

“Pork production by small and medium producers continues to decline due to their inability to cope with the price competition. The epidemy of foot-and-mouth disease was a hard blow. More than 100,000 head of pigs died, industrial pig breeding is almost eliminated in the region. The major blow to economy of the region will happen this year,” the governor said.

About 7,000 pigs have died on the Mersi Agro farm since January 18, the highest toll, he said.

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