Russian Rosselkhoznadzor temporarily bans import in live pigs, pork, derivative products from Moldova

Chisinau, 6 October /MOLDPRES/ - The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) has temporarily banned the import of live animals, pork and derivative products from Moldova, according to a press release by the Russian service.

The interdictions enter into force today and are applied also on the import of pigs and pork from other countries too, which transited the territory of Moldova, as well as the transit of pigs and pork products from Moldova through Russia to the third destination, the communiqué by Rosselkhoznadzor reads.

The restrictions are reasoned by the outburst of two hotbeds of African swine fever in the settlements Mosana and Cernoleuca, northern Donduseni district, and lack of information due to confirm that the Moldovan authorities undertook all the needed measures not to allow the spread of the disease, the press release by the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance also reads.  

Rosselkhoznadzor said that, one year and a half ago, it had forecast the “spread of this dangerous disease.” The Russian federal service invokes also the fact that, following the signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union, Moldova had been applying in its work the same principles and measures of fighting this disease, which according to Rosselkhoznadzor, led to the appearance of the African swine fever.

The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance also said that it had demanded that the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) provides detailed information on measures taken to localize the hotbeds of this disease and prevent its spread in Moldova.

It is worth mentioning that a laboratory from Spain confirmed the presence of the African swine fever virus in samples brought from Moldova, according to ANSA. An instruction issued by the Moldovan authorities sees that the Mosana and Cernoleuca villages have been officially declared in state of alert; thus, specialists are to carry out actions to fight the virus during 45 days.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)