Baltics seek urgent EU funds to combat swine fever outbreak

The Baltics will seek urgent EU funding in an effort to combat a African swine fever outbreak in Lithuania.

Meeting in Vilnius today for talks were Latvian and Lithuanian Agriculture Ministers Janis Duklavs and Viligijus Jukna.

Both ministers agreed that in order to guard the pork industry, essential to EU's agriculture and the economy, Lithuania and Latvia will request funding for preventive measures to combat the fever. The amount of money to be requested is not being disclosed.

A state of emergency has been declared in five regions in Lithuania to combat the spread of the disease which can have a devastating effect on farms, reports nozare.lv.

A 10 km-wide buffer zone has been set up near the Belarus border where no private farms are permitted to keep pigs.

To curb further spreading, the wild boar population in the areas specifically affected will be reduced by 10%, the Lithuanian minister added.