23 Jan 2020
Germany and Poland discuss setting up a “fenced corridor” to prevent African swine fever spreading. The disease has been found 30km from Germany – one of Europe’s major pork exporters.
David Woodmansey
Job Title
The Reuters news agency has reported Germany and Poland are discussing new action to prevent the cross-border spread of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars
Border fences and increased hunting of the animals are reportedly being considered.
Poland recorded 55 outbreaks of ASF in wild boars in December, the World Organisation for Animal Health said. The disease was found 30km (19 miles) from Germany – one of Europe’s major pork exporters.
Germany’s agriculture minister Julia Kloeckner and Polish agriculture minister Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski met in Berlin and agreed new measures to jointly contain the ASF outbreak in Poland, and prevent it spreading to Germany, the German agriculture ministry said.
Discussions include setting up a fenced corridor along the border to prevent infected wild boar moving into Germany and “a drastic reduction in the wild boar density” through shooting as an effective preventive measure.
The two countries will discuss whether Germany’s civil defence force should help in setting up fencing.
German regional state governments in Brandenburg and Saxony have already started building fences along the Polish border in an attempt to stop infected wild boar roaming into Germany.
