ANSVSA: Sheep exports to third countries to carry on, yet tighter controls set in place

Sheep exports to third countries are not and won't be halted, as the authorities and businesses are working together for compliance with all the regulations and requirements necessary for trade to carry on, the National Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) announced on Wednesday following a meeting with representatives of sheep breeders, exporters and transporters, amid the confirmation of new outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants (PPR), also known as the sheep and goat plague.According to the cited source, the presence of the PPR virus was confirmed in several holdings in the southeastern counties of Tulcea and Constanta.At the meeting, which was also attended by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Florin Barbu, business representatives were given assurances that they will receive compensation for the lost animals, as per the legal provisions."Particular attention will be paid to the identification, registration and testing of animals from exporting farms from disease-free areas, as well as to the control of animal movement. ANSVSA is committed to supporting sheep exports, including by renegotiating export terms with third countries and by setting in place an additional system for the testing of batches of animals intended for export. The latter can be carried out in the ANSVSA labs which have the necessary equipment and expertise. The PPR Contingency Plan is being updated to adjust to the current epidemiological situation," the release reads.At the end of the meeting, it was decided that all the parties involved should keep open dialogue and collaborate in order to manage the situation, so that the export markets won through joint effort are maintained.The ANSVSA specifies that the PPR virus does not affect humans, and there is not even the slightest risk of human illness, but the disease has a social and economic impact.