US adds India to list of countries affected by African swine fever

The United States has notified that India has been added to the list of countries that have been affected by African swine fever, imposing restrictions on the import of pork and pork products from the country.

In a federal notification issued on Thursday, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said India has been to the list of regions “we consider to be affected” with African Swine Fever (ASF.)

“We took this action on May 13, 2020 when the disease was confirmed and are now publishing notice in the regulations. Pork and pork products from India, including casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the United States,” the Department of Agriculture (USDA) said.

It said on May 9 last year, the veterinary authorities of India reported to APHIS the occurrence of ASF in that country.

“Therefore, in response to this outbreak, on May 13, 2020, APHIS added India to the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably believed to exist. This notice serves as an official record and public notification of that action,” the USDA said.

ASF is a highly contagious animal disease of wild and domestic swine. It can spread rapidly in swine populations with extremely high rates of morbidity and mortality.

India’s export of pork and related items to the US in 2020 was USD 5,00,000.