Croatia culls 10,000 pigs after fresh ASF outbreak

CROATIA – Croatian veterinary services have begun culling around 10,000 pigs in the eastern Baranya region following what officials describe as the country’s most severe outbreak of African swine fever to date.

The operation started this week after veterinary inspections confirmed that the disease had spread to large-scale farms in the region, local outlets reported, citing EFE news agency.

Agriculture Minister David Vlajčić confirmed that the main outbreak was detected at the Belje Sokolovac farm in Baranya, a major pig production site in the east of the country.

At the same time, veterinary authorities identified additional cases in the Nemetin area, also located in eastern Croatia, prompting wider containment measures.

Vlajčić said the scale of the epidemic has surpassed all previous cases recorded in the country and continues to expand despite previous control attempts.

According to the minister, the spread has been linked to human activity, particularly violations of animal health rules and the movement of pigs without authorization.

He warned that if the government fails to take immediate steps to limit infections, Croatia risks being cut off from the wider European Union pork trade.

Such a scenario, he noted, would result in significant economic losses for the pig sector, which relies on EU markets for both live animals and processed meat.

Since the disease first appeared in Croatia in 2023, about 41,000 pigs have already been culled, with the current measures pushing the total to more than 50,000 animals.

That figure represents close to 5 percent of the country’s pig herd, a considerable share given the concentration of farming in eastern regions.

Farmers in affected areas have already reported heavy losses, with compensation schemes under review as authorities move to stabilize the sector.

African swine fever is a viral disease that does not affect humans but is fatal to pigs, often forcing governments to implement mass culls to prevent further transmission.

The ministry is now intensifying biosecurity checks and tightening movement restrictions on pigs in the affected counties.

Officials said the immediate focus is to prevent further spread across farms in Baranya and neighboring areas, while veterinary teams continue surveillance work.

With more than 10,000 pigs already set for destruction this week, Croatia is facing mounting pressure to contain the outbreak before it destabilizes the national pork industry.

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