The situation with African swine fever (ASF) is alarming as it has been detected also in Osijek-Baranja County, the biggest pig farming region in Croatia, the HUPS pig farmers' association said on Friday, appealing to the government to react and call a session on ASF.

“All our warnings and proposals to the Agriculture Ministry have not given results. ASF in Croatia is not under control and such a situation threatens to destroy pig farming in Slavonia and Croatia,” HUPS said.

The ministry’s measures to prevent, control and curb ASF have had no results, HUPS said, urging the government to immediately convene a session on how to stop the spread of ASF and on pig farming recovery measures.

In just two and a half months, ASH has spread from two cases in two municipalities to over 1,000 farms and 22 local government units, HUPS said.

Since 2019, over 17,000 tests have been done among wild boar and all have been negative, except nine positive cases in the last few months in counties along the Sava river and parts of Karlovac, Lika-Senj and Zadar counties.

Such developments show the situation is not under control, that the measures undertaken have not been adequate and that urgent operational changes are needed, HUPS said.

The response has been slow and insufficiently organised, including the removal of pigs from affected areas, which is due to a shortage of authorised vets, and the disposal and slaughter of pigs, HUPS said.

Despite Agriculture Minister Marija Vuckovic’s promises, it added, the affected pig farmers have still not been financially compensated.