Photo: Jan VullingsThe Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) by accident included non-infected areas in a different province to its ASF map, leading to worried reactions from trade partners abroad.
The province of Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia, was highly surprised to see 2 of its districts (Calafell and Cunit) being included, even though the virus has only been found in the wild boar population in districts closer to Barcelona. The result was that China even announced to stop pork imports from Tarragona province.
Inclusion in ASF map was “administrative error”
Late on Wednesday, February 25, however, a MAPA spokesperson said that it was an “administrative error,” wrote Barcelona-based newspaper La Vanguardia and that the suspension of imports from China of pork from Tarragona was removed. Draft maps had been circulated in Catalonia, in Madrid at national level as well at the level of the European Commission.
The authorities downplayed the consequences of the mistake. The Spanish Business Federation of Meat and Meat Industries (FECIC), however, asserted that the inclusion of both districts prevented some companies from issuing export certificates to China for pork from animals originating in Tarragona on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, similar to what has happened with slaughterhouses and farms the province of Barcelona since November.
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Redrawing of the Spanish ASF map
A new map indeed had to be made recently. As new cases were confirmed about 7 km south of the existing area last week, the borders of infected zone I (the inner zone) and infected zone II (the outer zone) had to be redrawn – something that must have happened a little bit too enthusiastically. Both zones indicate the seriousness of the measures taken to combat the virus.
