Spain Pork Industry Faces 600 Million Euro Loss After Swine Fever Outbreak near Barcelona

Spain’s pork industry , valued at €25 billion, is reporting heavy losses and new trade barriers after African Swine Fever (ASF) was detected in late November in Collserola Park near Barcelona. The virus is described as highly contagious and deadly for pigs and wild boars, while posing no risk to humans. The case was identified in a wild boar carcass, triggering containment steps by authorities.

According to the farmers’ organization Unión de Uniones, the sector has already absorbed an estimated €600 million loss linked to the outbreak and its commercial fallout. Several importing countries have stopped buying Spanish pork, including Brazil, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and the U.S. In parallel, other markets have applied narrower restrictions: EU members, China, and the UK have imposed localized bans affecting pork from impacted areas in northeastern Spain.

Officials moved quickly after the detection, closing Collserola Park and starting a campaign to reduce wild boar numbers as a way to limit spread. Catalonia’s regional government has set a goal of cutting the wild boar population by half, from an estimated 120,000 to 180,000 animals. Authorities said 24,000 wild boars have been culled in the region this year as part of that effort.

The outbreak has also coincided with weaker pricing and export performance in key producing areas. The price of slaughter pigs has dropped by €30 to €40 per animal, and pork exports from Catalonia fell 17% in January compared with the previous year. These figures reflect the combined pressure of market uncertainty and reduced access to some overseas destinations.

Spain last eliminated ASF three decades ago, and authorities are now applying what were described as extreme biosecurity measures. Monitoring of wild boar movements is being carried out using traps, cameras, and drones, alongside population controls. Officials are also looking to Belgium’s experience, where ASF was eradicated within 14 months, as a reference point for managing the response.

Even with these measures, the pace and scope of culling has become a point of debate within the industry. Mercolleida has criticized how quickly wild boar reductions are being carried out, particularly after positive cases were detected outside the initial high-risk zone in February. That development underscores an ongoing uncertainty for producers and exporters: how effectively the outbreak can be contained geographically while trade partners maintain restrictions.