EU unable to supply breeding pigs to Russia due to foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
MOSCOW. Jan 15 (Interfax) - No members of the European Union can currently supply breeding pigs to Russia because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany, Russian plant and animal health watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said.
"Rosselkhoznadzor is drawing the attention of participants in foreign economic activities to the fact that shipments of breeding pigs from all member countries of the European Union are not possible at the moment due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany," the agency said.
This is because of the terms of veterinary certificates for breeding pigs exported from the EU to Russia. One of the provisions stipulates that clinically health breeding pigs born and raised in the EU that are exported to Russia must come from farms and/or administrative territories of EU member countries that are officially free of infectious animal diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease, for the past 12 months on the territory of the EU.
"In light of these conditions, EU member countries can no longer meet this requirement," Rosselkhoznadzor said.
The agency also said that primary identification of the pathogen showed that it is a type-O foot-and-mouth disease virus that is common in Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Germany has not yet done whole genome sequencing and a comparison of the genetic lines of isolates found in Turkey, the Middle East and Asia, which will provide a picture of the source of the pathogen.
According to the World Organization for Animal Health, the nearest country where outbreaks of type-O foot-and-mouth disease were reported in 2024 and that has land and sea borders with the EU is Turkey. In addition, Turkey is a transit country for freight from countries with unfavorable foot-and-mouth disease situations (Syria, Sudan and others) to Ukraine (Port of Odessa).
"The statement of the representative of the German Agriculture Ministry that exports of German meat to the EU will probably continue since current rules require the suspension of exports only from regions of EU countries directly affected by the disease does not inspire confidence that the disease will be successfully eradicated and its further spread in EU countries and countries that import European products will be prevented," Rosselkhoznadzor said.
In light of this, the agency recalled that it has asked the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) to assess the measures being taken to control the movement of susceptible animals and animal products obtained from them throughout the EU. Rosselkhoznadzor has also sent a letter to the EU urging it to inform Russia about the details of the measures being taken and sources of the disease.
Given that the disease is highly contagious, Rosselkhoznadzor said it is prepared to impose broader restrictions on shipments from the EU, including transit of animal products and susceptible animals to third countries, as of January 20 in order to prevent foot-and-mouth disease from being brought into and spreading in Russia.
An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was found in a herd of buffalo in Germany in the first such case in almost 40 years. Foot-and-mouth disease is a severe, highly contagious viral zoonotic disease. The virus is highly mutable and resilient in the external environment.
