ASP: Consuming pork is safe
A few kilometers from the German-Polish border, the first case of African swine fever (ASF) occurred in a wild boar in Germany. ASF is primarily transmitted by wild boar and is almost always fatal to infected animals. There is no danger for humans. Pork and pork products are still safe to eat. ASF does not pose a threat to other domestic and wild animals either.
The top priority now is to combat and contain the animal disease in order to prevent further spread in wild boar and to rule out its introduction into domestic pig populations. First of all, the rapid establishment of animal health surveillance zones and the corresponding control measures are required. In order to prevent the further advance of infected animals from Poland, the Verband der Fleischwirtschaft e. V. (VDF) consider it necessary to erect a fixed barrier at the border in addition to these zones.
The infected wild boar has a direct impact on exports to third countries. It can be assumed that deliveries to third countries from Germany to markets such as China, Japan and Korea will come to a complete standstill in the short term. In particular, products that are hardly in demand in this country are affected by an export ban. These include e.g. B. paws, ears, tails and bones. These cuts are considered delicacies in many sales markets and their marketing contributes to sustainable use and added value in meat production. Due to the export ban, these can usually no longer be marketed as food. As a result, a strong influence on the sales flows of the pork market is to be expected.
The VDF therefore sees it as essential that, in addition to efficient disease control, agreements with third countries to resume trade in pork are made as quickly as possible so that pork can continue to be exported from the other regions in Germany.
