Infected pork stopped at Australian border
Pork farmers have sounded the alarm over the threat of deadly African swine fever after it was detected in Australia.
The contagious disease, which has spread rapidly through some European countries and Asia, was discovered in pork products that passengers illegally brought into Australia, as well as through the mail.
So far it appears it has not taken hold in the Australian pig population. The disease is devastating to pigs but pork from infected animals is not harmful to humans.
In China nearly a million pigs have been killed to halt the spread of the disease, and France has started to kill wild boars on its Belgium border after an infected boar was found.
New Zealand Pork has sought assurances from Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor that officials are stepping up surveillance in the wake of the Australian findings.
‘‘In light of the detection of ASF at the Australian border, we’re asking the minister to provide assurance that our border measures are as strong as possible to prevent entry of this deadly pig disease that would harm our industry,’’ NZ Pork chairman Eric Roy said.
The industry is worth about $750 million a year. However pig numbers have dropped from 388,000 in 2004 to 281,000 last year, and New Zealand now imports 60 per cent of its pork needs from 25 countries.
Australia is one of the largest exporters to New Zealand, shipping 5112 tonnes in the year.
Australian officials had recently increased their vigilance in response to the spread of the disease. After testing a sample of intercepted pork products, they found ASF contamination in about 5 per cent of the pork. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have also reported finding ASF in illegally imported meat.
The Australian Department of Agriculture did not reveal the kinds of products that had the disease.
Roy said the detection in Australia had confirmed pig farmers’ worst fears. ‘‘The discovery of African swine fever in pork illegally imported into Australia literally brings the threat of the disease to our doorstep.’’
Even a small amount of infected meat could pose a major risk to the industry.
‘‘This disease is exceptionally hardy and can survive for a long time in untreated meat. The risk of it getting into New Zealand through contact with infected meat arriving in this country is a very real risk.’’