Spain’s ASF outbreak: Implications for EU pig meat movements and global trade

The detection of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar in the Barcelona region has prompted swift action from national and regional authorities. Freya Shuttleworth, Senior Analyst, explains how the outbreak is affecting international trade.

While the outbreak remains confined to Catalonia’s large wild boar population, its impact on Spain’s domestic market and export position has been immediate, and the ripple effects are now being felt across the wider EU pig meat sector.

Spain is the EU’s largest producer of pig meat and a major exporter to global markets, particularly China. The temporary suspension of exports from the Barcelona province in late November and early December, therefore, caused significant disruption.

Although Spain has now regained most of its access to the Chinese market through an agreement built on regionalisation, plants within the affected zone remain excluded. For these processors, the loss of China, one of their most valuable outlets, has created a sudden need to divert product into an already competitive European market.

The increased volume of pig meat that is now having to be marketed domestically is a key factor behind the sharp price movements seen at Mercolleida, Spain’s leading live reference market.

Following an extraordinary meeting of the price board, long-standing limits on weekly price adjustments were temporarily suspended. Market reports indicate a loss of over 20 euro cents in the last week, reflecting both export constraints and an urgent industry effort to stay competitive within the single market.

Operational pressure is particularly acute in slaughterhouses in the Catalonia region, which collectively account for around 40% of Spain’s annual throughput.

Reports of full cold stores and logistical congestion highlight the immediate challenges of maintaining kill while losing access to major third-country markets.

Workforce instability is also emerging, with temporary lay-offs – such as the 300 agency staff workers released by Grupo Jorge – illustrating how quickly the supply chain feels the strain.

Industry organisations in Spain continue to stress that the situation, while serious, is manageable if ASF remains confined to a single area and only to wild boar. Spread to other regions would likely cause further trade friction.

Biosecurity on farms across the country has been reinforced and authorities have moved rapidly to contain wildlife movements. However, the sector expects it to take at least 12 months before normal trading patterns fully resume, and much will depend on how international partners accept and apply regionalisation.

For the UK and wider EU, Spain’s experience reinforces the importance of robust biosecurity, responsive trade agreements (including a plan to enact regionalisation across GB) and clear contingency planning.

As more data emerges, we will continue to assess how Spanish market developments influence EU pig meat flows and the competitive landscape for producers.

Spanish weekly live pig prices (Mercolleida)

Source: Mercolleida live