Ukraine bans livestock product imports from Belarus – ASF suspected
The State Veterinary and Phytosanitary Service (Gosvetfitosluzhba) of Ukraine has, as of today, temporarily suspended meat from animals susceptible to African Swine Fever (ASF), and products and raw materials from the animals. Also, the import of all milk and dairy products from Belarus to Ukraine have come to a halt.
Accoridng to Gosvetfitosluzhba, during the recent testing of dairy products imported from Belarus to Ukraine during February 2012 a number of violations of veterinary and sanitary requirements of Ukraine have been revealed.
“Belarus is a member of customs union, which implies the absence of customs and veterinary controls at border crossings with the Russian Federation, where for the last five years there has been a difficult epizootic situation with the African Swine Fever. Taking into account the significant amounts of disease outbreaks in the Central Federal District (the border with Belarus), of Russia in the past year, there is a likelihood that the ASF case in Neznanova village was due to the entry of the causative agent of African Swine Fever in Belarus,” said the representatives of Gosvetfitosluzhba.
On 16 February at Neznanova village, Novogrudok district, Belarus all pig farms of private citizens have been confiscated and destroyed (burned).
At the same time, according to statements made by the Ministry of Agriculture of Belarus and the Department of Veterinary and Food Control of the Republic, these acts were committed only to control and prevent ASF from spreading.
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