Thousands of pigs slaughtered and millions of euros in losses: the cost of swine fever in Europe

BarcelonaAfrican swine fever was detected in Catalonia just over a week ago, in wild boars, but Other European states have been suffering from this for years.Governments have adopted different strategies to combat this highly contagious disease, which has had a significant impact on the agri-food sector. Among these consequences are the culling of thousands of pigs to try to limit the spread of the disease within the swine population and, consequently, the loss of millions of euros by the sector and the disappearance of small farmers. To give an idea of the scale: Germany, one of the leading countries in the pork sector, saw its production fall by up to 30%.

The virus is believed to have originated in Russia. After passing through Ukraine and Belarus, it entered the EU through Poland. When it arrived in EU territory, member states were forced to implement strict legislation to contain the disease, which has spread to 13 countries and is now in our country.

Poland was the first country affected, and African swine fever has been endemic there since 2014. This country identifies wild boar as the main source of infection. In 2025 alone, 18 outbreaks have been confirmed on pig farms, leading to the culling of nearly 8,000 animals, with the most severe cases detected in the north and east. For each outbreak detected, authorities implement a strict protocol that includes the culling and disposal of all animals on the affected farm, restrictions on livestock movement, and monitoring of transport vehicles and products in the area. It is estimated that the disease has caused losses of around €5 billion in the last ten years, according to EFE, and has hampered exports from the agri-food industry, closing many farms and driving up the price of pork on the local market. In Germany, considered the engine of the European economy, the animal epidemic arrived in 2020. This country borders Poland, and the first case, as in Catalonia, was detected in a wild boar. It was in Brandenburg, and between 2021 and 2023 more outbreaks were detected, some of which affected pig farms. In fact, there were even some isolated outbreaks on farms in 2024, but in 2025 there have been no more outbreaks on pig farms, although the virus has been detected in almost 2,000 wild boars. The fight against African swine fever (ASF) is considered a priority. Most cases have been detected near the border with Poland and south of Frankfurt. Now the fight is largely focused on locating dead wild boars. Meanwhile, pig farms must implement maximum biosecurity measures, and their staff are advised not to travel to areas affected by African swine fever.

A Special Commissioner

In Italy, to lead the fight against the disease, the government appointed a special commissioner, veterinarian Giovanni Filippini, who drew up a special plan for the eradication of African swine fever (ASF) in coordination with EU authorities. Since 2022, 580 outbreaks have been detected, almost always in wild boar, most of which have now been contained. Northern regions, such as Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lombardy, and Liguria, have been the most affected and still face restrictions. The Italian plan calls for the containment of wild boar populations through the creation of territorial barriers; the organization of control zones; and the culling of infected animals, estimated at around 117,000 since 2022 by specialized media. During this time, Italy has managed to eradicate ASF on farms in regions such as the island of Sardinia, where the disease entered the country in 1978. as well as in Basilicata, Calabria, and the area around Rome, according to the Ministry of Health.

Regarding its impact on the livestock sector, pig farms are declining in Italy: in 2024, there were 7.82 million pigs—fewer than the entire population of Catalonia—a 14.7% decrease compared to 2023, according to the Association of Meat and Sausage Producers (A). Conversely, pork exports have increased: sausages sold abroad were 13% higher than in 2023, and exports of live animals or their fresh or frozen meat rose by 3%. However, since 2022, some countries such as China, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Uruguay have seen a rise in demand. They have blocked the import of this Italian meatThis has caused an estimated €600 million in damage to the sector, according to Assica. In Central Europe, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have also been affected by the disease. However, Czech authorities confirmed a "favorable situation regarding the disease" after the last case of infection was confirmed last August in a wild boar hunted in the north of the country, where control measures remain in place. Since then, there has been no further outbreak. In Slovakia, an outbreak was confirmed in May on an 18,000-pig farm in the southeast of the country, and all the pigs were culled. Given the outbreaks in neighboring countries, the restricted zone remains in place in twelve eastern provinces, where biosecurity measures will continue to be applied in hunting areas, domestic pig farms, and all dead and captured wild boars will be tracked.

66% of outbreaks

Romania is considered a hotspot for the disease, accounting for 66% of all outbreaks recorded in the EU in 2024, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Between January 1 and November 27, 2025, 453 new outbreaks of African swine fever were confirmed, and there are currently 47 active outbreaks. Inspectors have carried out 28,405 checks on livestock farms and issued 2,700 fines for various violations of health regulations. In Croatia, cases have been detected on 53 livestock farms in the Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Srijem counties, where 372 wild boars have been found to have the disease. Authorities state that Croatia continues to implement strict control measures in accordance with EU regulations; some 10,000 pigs were culled last September alone. From the emergence of the disease in 2023 until October 2025, 55,000 animals were culled, representing 5% of the pig population. In Hungary, according to the National Office for Food Chain Safety, African swine fever was detected in 852 wild boars in 2025, the last case in mid-November, but not in farm pigs. The most affected areas are in the north, near the border with Slovakia, and in the east, near Romania and Ukraine. Almost a third of the country's territory was declared an "infected zone," while the rest remains a medium- or high-risk area. In Bulgaria, Agriculture Minister Rumen Porozhanov stated last week that there are no active outbreaks and that the fence installed along the border with Romania prevents the entry of potentially infected wild boars from that country. As of November 3, 409 outbreaks of plague have been identified in wild boar in Bulgaria.

African swine fever has been present in Latvia since 2014. The most recent outbreak of the disease occurred in early September, affecting a large pig farm and leading to the culling of approximately 23,000 pigs. Latvian Pig Producers Association (LCAA) board member Dzintra Lejniece explained that the economic impact on pig farmers has been "enormous."