Croatia to Cull Thousands of Pigs Due to African Swine Fever

Authorities in Croatia have begun culling approximately 12,000 pigs after detecting African swine fever (ASF) on a farm in the eastern part of the country.

African swine fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease with a high mortality rate for pigs and wild boars, but harmless to humans. Its spread can halt meat exports and leads to preventive culls.

Around 10,000 pigs will be slaughtered on a farm in Sokolova and 1,600 on another farm in the same area. The source of the virus is unknown, but authorities estimate it was caused "99% by human factors."

Monitoring measures have been imposed on 54 farms, and border controls have been tightened. Interior Minister Davor Božinović stated that the army may be deployed.

In 2024, Croatia had more than 873,000 pigs and exported more than 285,600, worth approximately 57 million euros.