A timely and necessary measure to stop the spread of African Swine Fever after the cases found on wild boars in Piedmont and Liguria. This is the order of the Ministers of Agriculture Stefano Patuanelli and Health Roberto Speranza, considered “inevitable to reassure producers and exports” by Patuanelli himself after the signing who, among other things, is concerned about the consequences for tourism in the affected areas. “Now it is certainly necessary to think about refreshments for the tourism sector which – he stresses – could be affected by the bans in the areas concerned”.
And satisfaction is expressed by the breeders. “The timely adoption of the provision that allows production activities to continue to work safely, providing reassurance on exports is important,” said Ettore Prandini, president of Coldiretti.
The provision provides for the prohibition of all hunting activities except for selective hunting of wild boar in the area established as infected by African Swine Fever, i.e. 114 Municipalities of which 78 in Piedmont and 36 in Liguria, where the presence of farms is fortunately very limited. And it is precisely this derogation, or the concession of being able to carry out selective hunting, suggests a wish to the director of Assica, Davide Calderone. “We hope that the task force set up between Ministries and Regions – he argues – will be able to make the right choices and that everything is done in the most serious and rigorous way possible” he says to time.news representing a sector, that of pork and pork industry of cured meats that fear serious consequences on the export side with an estimate of “a potential damage of at least 20 million euros for each month of suspension of our exports”. In the meantime, the borders of Kuwait and China, Japan and Taiwan, as a precaution, have been closed to made in Italy cured meats for a few days.
In the limited area, the collection of mushrooms and truffles, fishing, trekking, mountain biking and other activities of direct or indirect interaction with infected wild boars are also prohibited. The ordinance in force for six months has the objective of “putting in place every measure useful for an immediate contrast to the spread of the Psa and its eradication to protect the health of the national faunal and zootechnical heritage of pigs and the economic interests connected to the non-EU trade and exports to third countries of pigs and derived products “. A necessity after precautionary measures have been activated at the borders of Switzerland, Kuwait and in the East (China, Japan and Taiwan) where a temporary stop to imports of Made in Italy meats and cured meats has been envisaged.
Appreciation for “the prompt initiative of the government” also came from Confagricoltura. “The fundamental and absolutely prevalent interest is to ensure the maximum protection of the national pig herd. – commented the president Massimiliano Giansanti – There remains the regret for an emergency that could, in all probability, have been avoided with an effective intervention, repeatedly urged to stop the harmful multiplication of wild boars, also taking into account the presence of classical swine fever in other EU member states “.