NPA shocked at Government revelations on ASF import control deficiencies
The NPA has expressed shock and concern, after the Government admitted that insufficient import controls have resulted in meat being on sale in UK retailers that poses a ‘serious and immediate’ African swine fever (ASF) disease threat to the UK pig herd.
The revelation came in a document published earlier this month outlining the Government’s plans to introduce new checks on imports from this October, under its Border Target Operating Model, which is to be phased in over the following year.
The documents highlights the need for stricter checks, noting that border controls are an ‘important part of a robust import system to ensure our food is safe and that we are protected from animal and plant diseases’. A case study points out that, with ASF widespread in a number of countries on the European Continent, inside and outside the EU, an outbreak would be a ‘fundamental threat to the viability of the UK’s pig industry’.
It added: “Recent routine inspection of retail shops by local authorities in the UK detected frozen, raw and uncooked meat products marked clearly as suitable only for sale in the originating EU country.
“Further investigations found these products had been purchased by two importers, linked to over 280 retail outlets in the UK. These products were exported commercially, and properly pre-notified on the UK imports system.
Alistair Driver | Pig World
Read full article Share on twitter