The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries received five new reports of confirmed African swine fever in pig-holding facilities by 15:00 on Tuesday, bringing the number of outbreaks since the start of the year to 99. New hotspots were confirmed in Osijek-Baranja and Virovitica-Podravina counties.
One new case was recorded in the settlement of Bokšić Lug in the municipality of Đurđenovac, while four were identified in the Virovitica-Podravina area: in Breštanovci in the municipality of Crnac, Kutovi in the municipality of Zdenci, and Dolci in the municipality of Orahovica.
According to data from local crisis headquarters, around 3,758 pigs have been culled in the two counties to contain the disease. Of the 99 confirmed outbreaks on farms, 50 are in Osijek-Baranja county and 49 in Virovitica-Podravina county. The disease has also been confirmed in 184 wild boar, mostly in the Osijek-Baranja area.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture David Vlajčić met with representatives of the Croatian Hunting Association on the same day to discuss measures against the spread of the disease among wild boar. A key new measure agreed upon was the establishment of intervention teams by the hunting association in at-risk counties, along with the active involvement of the Ministry of the Interior, whose officials will use thermal cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles to identify areas requiring intensified culling.
"African swine fever continues to represent one of the greatest threats to Croatian pig farming. That is why we must utilise all available state capacities," Vlajčić stated after the meeting.
The minister dismissed claims that containment measures are destroying domestic pig farming and favouring imports. According to the official register, 879,662 pigs were recorded in Croatia in June, an increase of 39,394 compared to June 2023, before the outbreak of the disease, while the number of pig farms rose from 21,389 to 38,229. The state has invested nearly €50.8 million in the fight against the disease so far.
The Ministry stated it continues to implement prescribed measures in cooperation with the State Inspectorate, the Croatian Veterinary Institute, and local services, and urges all pig keepers to maintain strict biosecurity and promptly report any suspicion of the disease to an authorised veterinarian.
