China: Illegal transport of pigs to blame for recent ASF cases

The 8 most recent outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in domestic pigs have been caused by illegal transport. None of the pigs transported had ear tags or an animal quarantine certificate. In seven of these cases, the pigs were being transported by undocumented vehicles, and in 4 cases the pigs were traded illegally online. In five cases, the vehicles were seized directly by authorities at the entrances and exits of expressways, which illustrates the need for good control.

In response to this situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) has issued a document on the special rectification of the illegal transport of live pigs. Among other measures, the document aims to:

• Strictly implement pig quarantine, and regulate the collection, use and management of quarantine certificates.
• Strengthen the supervision of the transportation chain, arrange special personnel to patrol highway entrances and exits, verify inspection, and strictly monitor the transfer of pigs and pig transport vehicles.
• Implement relevant epidemic prevention and supervision requirements following the inter-provincial transfer of live pigs to their destinations, and implement a 24- hour reporting system for the arrival of live pigs .
• Cooperation between law enforcement of different provinces and departments to crack down on illegal and illegal activities.