Austria's pork prices plunge amid African swine fever spread in Europe

Austrian pig farmers are facing a sharp decline in pork prices, with the market price for slaughter pigs falling to €1.44 per kilogram by mid‑July. The drop has generated weekly losses of about €1.6 million and is attributed to an influx of pork on the European market after the African swine fever outbreak in Spain prompted China to halt imports of Spanish pork. Additional pressures include a strong euro, U.S. tariff measures and adverse weather conditions. "We should at least produce cost‑covering, to invest for the future," said Franz Rauscher, head of the Austrian pork‑breeding association.

In neighbouring Germany, the Passau district conducted a large‑scale disaster‑protection drill to test the response to a possible ASF outbreak. Veterinary officials, disaster‑relief services, fire brigades and canine units coordinated simulated quarantine and rapid‑identification procedures, with observers from other Bavarian authorities and Upper Austria taking part.