African swine fever spreads in Serbia and Croatia, prompting mass pig culls and pork price spikes

An outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) is active across Serbia and Croatia. In Serbia the virus is confirmed in seven districts and 52 settlements, with roughly 28,000 pigs dead or euthanised. New hotspots have emerged near the border with Croatia, prompting expanded emergency zones and stricter biosafety controls, including hunting of wild boar.

In Croatia, authorities have recorded 89 outbreak sites, most recently adding 12 new positive farms. A total of 2,822 pigs have been culled, and the government has widened protection and monitoring zones, imposed heavy fines for illegal transport, and convened a national crisis team. Over €50 million has been spent on control measures and compensation, while pork prices have risen, making pork a luxury item in parts of the market.

Both governments stress that ASF does not affect human health but warn that illegal animal movements and inadequate identification (ear tags) fuel the spread. Ongoing measures include tighter border checks, increased veterinary inspections, and coordinated efforts to protect domestic pork production.