Fernando Fernández, Director General for Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, took part this afternoon in the second meeting of the RASVE Committee, convened by Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture to assess the evolution of the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak detected in wild boar in Catalonia. During the session, a third case was confirmed in the municipality of Cerdanyola del Vallès, within the already established perimeter and under strict monitoring since 28 November.
Fernández expressed the autonomous administration’s support for both national and Catalan authorities, praising the speed and efficiency of the measures adopted and highlighting the coordinated work being carried out to prevent the spread of the disease. He stressed his confidence that the outbreak will remain confined within the designated area.
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He also recalled that the entry of ASF into Spanish territory requires maintaining maximum precautions for at least twelve months after the last confirmed case, as mandated by European regulations. This will involve implementing an intensive surveillance plan across the entire territory, including the Balearic Islands.
So far, all confirmed cases have been found in wild boar. Catalan authorities also reported that, within the first 24 hours, all 39 pig farms located within the restricted area were inspected and sample results came back negative — something Fernández described as “excellent news”.
In the Balearic archipelago, monitoring measures have already been reinforced. Controls now focus on the movement of pigs destined for breeding, fattening or slaughter arriving from Catalonia. Movements from the past year have been reviewed, particularly those registered in November. Local slaughterhouses have been contacted to verify their biosecurity practices. In addition, pig farms in the archipelago will undergo intensified biosecurity checks, prioritising those considered higher risk. Veterinary officials will carry out detailed inspections and closely supervise all animal movement permits for both slaughter-bound and live animals.
Transport vehicles will also be subject to reinforced disinfection protocols. According to SITRAN records, 68 consignments of pigs for slaughter arrived from Catalonia in 2025 (3,301 animals), none from affected areas. The latest shipment arrived on 28 November. Regarding the movement of live pigs into farms, 76 shipments totalling 2,118 animals were registered, again all from non-restricted areas.
Fernández noted that it is not legally possible to prohibit the entry of animals from other regions when all sanitary requirements are met, although he stressed that the regional administration will apply strict scrutiny to all documentation.
In the Balearic Islands, official data from 2024 show that 19,556 fattening pigs, 901 adults and 67,705 piglets were slaughtered, illustrating the importance of the porcino sector and the need to preserve its health status.
The autonomous administration reassures farmers and the public that African swine fever poses no risk to humans and that the outbreak in Catalonia remains contained within a well-delimited and tightly controlled zone. All necessary surveillance and biosecurity measures remain active in the archipelago to safeguard the sector and ensure maximum sanitary protection.