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News Pigs & Pork
Number of ASF infections quintupled in 2023
May 16, 2024 - Matthijs Bremer
The number of outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) in pig farming has quintupled in 2023 compared to the previous year. This is evident from a press release by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Remarkably, almost all infections occurred within two countries.
Since 2014, the number of infections has not been this high. A whopping 96% of the outbreaks occurred in Croatia and Romania. In total, the number of outbreaks on pig farms reached 1,929. The virus has spread from Germany to Italy.
Meanwhile, the epidemiological situation improved in Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia, although this mainly concerns infections in wild boars. Throughout the European Union, the number of infections in wild animals increased by 10%.
Matthijs Bremer
Matthijs Bremer is a market specialist in pork, beef, and poultry meat at DCA Market Intelligence. He also monitors the protein transition, keeping an eye on developments in cultured meat and meat substitutes.
