Armenia may see cheaper pork after Spain reports first African swine fever case in 30 years

Armenia could face downward pressure on pork prices after Spain confirmed its first African swine fever (ASF) outbreak since 1994, a local agricultural expert said on Tuesday.

Spanish authorities detected the virus in six wild boars near Barcelona, raising concerns over potential disruptions in European pork markets.

Harutyun Mnatsakanyan, an Armenian farmer and agribusiness operator, told Panorama.am that cheaper Spanish pork could tempt importers despite sanitary risks.

“The price of pork in Spain is going to fall significantly and Armenian traders may attempt to import it, which would seriously harm local farmers,” he said.

He urged Armenian authorities to block or restrict imports from Spain, noting that several countries have already imposed limits on pork suspected of possible ASF exposure.

“Even if the meat is not infected, importing very cheap pork would put Armenian farms under serious pressure. The state should take preventive steps, create barriers or impose a ban, as many countries have already done,” Mnatsakanyan said.

He added that the United States and Canada have already warned importers not to ship pork slaughtered after October 17.

ASF is harmless to humans but highly lethal to pigs, spreading through direct contact, contaminated feed, clothing and certain insects. Standard containment involves strict quarantine measures and culling.

Retail pork prices in Armenia currently range from 2,500 to 4,500 drams per kilogram. Armenia imported most of its pork in the first half of the year from Brazil (1,576 tonnes), Russia (2,433 tonnes), Kazakhstan (329 tonnes) and Belarus (277 tonnes). No pork imports from Spain were recorded.