Greece may ban movement of sheep and goats if sheeppox spreads further
Farmers in Greece could soon face a nationwide ban on moving sheep and goats if stricter health checks and hygiene measures are not enforced to contain a sheeppox outbreak, the government warned on Tuesday.
According to the Greek Agriculture Ministry, the outbreak has already led to the culling of about 2% of the country’s sheep and goat population.
While sheeppox does not affect humans, it poses a serious threat to Greece’s economy. The disease could push up meat prices at a time when many Greeks are already struggling with high living costs. It also jeopardizes feta cheese exports—one of Greece’s signature products, made from sheep and goat milk.
Over the past year (up to August), more than 260,000 sheep and goats were culled, and around 1,100 farms were shut down after over 2,400 cases of the highly contagious disease were confirmed. Most of the cases occurred in July and August.
According to Reuters article published in Kathimerini, on Monday, the government announced a 10-day emergency plan, urging farmers to improve biosecurity on their farms. Veterinarians are to increase inspections, and local authorities will set up disinfection checkpoints to monitor the movement of animals.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Christos Kellas said the next 10 days are crucial. Speaking to public broadcaster ERT, he warned that failure to contain the disease could lead to a full ban on the transport of sheep and goats nationwide.
“That would freeze trade,” Kellas said. “No milk deliveries, no meat deliveries, no slaughters across the country.”
