The Generalitat of Catalonia keeps under control the swine fever epidemic detected 12 days ago in the Sierra de Collserola (Barcelona), which has so far affected only 13 wild boars and has not reached the 55 pig farms that are in the 20-kilometer surveillance zone around the swine fever epidemic, and has announced a plan to halve the population of wild boars, the main vector of the virus.
This was explained on Wednesday by the Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Òscar Ordeig, during an appearance in Parliament with the Head of the Interior, Núria Parlon, to report on the African Swine Fever (ASF) situation. All farms remain free of this disease after the latest tests carried out, so there remain 13 positive cases, all in wild boars.
That the epidemic does not spread to pig farms and is limited to wild boars is essential for the economic consequences of the disease. Catalonia is one of the main pork producers in Europe and the crisis has closed part of exports, which the authorities want to recover as quickly as possible so as not to worsen the situation in the sector.
Ordeig recalled that the analyzes are repeated every week on the 39 farms analyzed first because they are in the radius and all continue to test negative: “The plague is not on any farm, but in any case, another PCR will be carried out on all the pigs from these facilities that go to the slaughterhouse”, he assured, reports the EFE agency.
The minister indicated that twelve days after the declaration of the epidemic, there also remain 13 positive cases, all located in the first radius of impact established 6 kilometers from the first two cases, found in Bellaterra, in the municipality of Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona).
Likewise, Ordeig announced the constitution of the Catalan Wild Boar Table, a new strategic tool to deal with the overpopulation of this species throughout the territory, and which has already been warned by the Ministry of Agriculture as one of the risks of the virus.
Currently, Catalonia records an average density of 6.3 wild boars per km², with a breeding population estimated at 125,000 individuals. The General Directorate of Forests proposes to set a maximum objective of 4 wild boars per km², or 37% less than the current one, and to achieve this it will be necessary to capture 50% of the community’s wild boar population.
This measure is necessary to reduce risks, given that wild boars are responsible for 90% of accidents caused by wildlife, they are vectors of diseases such as ASF and cause significant damage to crops, Ordeig stressed.
Since 2021, the Generalitat has maintained an aid line of one million euros per year to encourage the capture of wild boars and reduce their density, and this line will be increased in the new appeal.
Included are incentives of up to 20 euros per captured specimen, aid for transporting pieces of between 5 and 10 euros per animal and subsidies to improve logistical points for game meat, which can reach 30,000 euros.
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