A team of EU veterinarians specializing in epidemics began work in Barcelona on Tuesday to contain an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak that has disrupted some of Spain's pork exports.
The experts will survey a 6-kilometer exclusion zone around Bellaterra, advise authorities, and prepare a follow-up report with recommendations, a European Commission spokesperson said. ASF, while harmless to humans, spreads rapidly among pigs and wild boar and can be fatal to them.
Further reading: Spain deploys military to contain swine fever.
Spain, the EU's leading pork producer, resumed shipments from unaffected regions to China on Monday, which imports nearly 42% of Spanish pork outside the EU. Other countries, including Britain, Mexico, and Canada, have suspended pork imports from Spain, prompting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to urge continued trade from safe regions.
Officials believe the virus may have spread after a wild boar consumed contaminated food. Two wild boars tested positive near Barcelona, and eight more are being examined. The outbreak could also create opportunities for United States pork exporters. Steiner Consulting Group said that if ASF spreads further in Europe, United States producers may exceed 7 billion pounds in exports in 2026, meeting global demand left by EU restrictions.