ASF Russia: Vet service criticised as outbreaks continue

Source: Vladislav Vorotnikov, Pig Progress, 28 April 2021, photo credit: Lonely Planet

Several new African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks have been recently registered in Russia, raising questions over the efficiency of the national veterinary services.

According to official figures by the Russian veterinary service Rosselhoznadzor, by mid-April 2021, Russia had registered 36 ASF outbreaks since the beginning of 2021. From those figures emerges a picture of a disease that has gained momentum since 2018, when only 56 outbreaks were reported in the country in the whole year.

Pig farmers have called on Rosselhoznadzor to strengthen its control over the supply chain to ensure ASF is kept out from the consumer tables. Various ASF-related incidents continue to hit the local news outlets. For instance, pork products infected with ASF virus hit grocery shelves in several Russian regions in early April. Contaminated pork spread had been withdrawn from 40 food stores in Yaroslavl region, Rosselhoznadzor said.
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