The UK’s National Pig Association (NPA) has said that 57t of illegally imported pigmeat being seized at the Port of Dover since 2022 is “extremely worrying”.
This figure includes 5.5t of illegal pigmeat seized at the Port of Dover over the weekend just before Christmas.
The NPA’s chief executive, Lizzie Wilson, said the revelations came from port health manager at Dover District Council, Beverley Edmondson.
In an article for the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, Edmondson said the large quantities of illegally imported meat being seized by Dover Port Health Authority (DPHA) at the port could be just the “tip of the iceberg”.
The NPA said the seizures of illegally imported meat expose a risk of African swine fever (ASF).
“With ASF continuing to spread in Europe, often by human mediated routes, this highlights the very real risk to our national pig herd,” Wilson said.
“We have been calling on government to ensure there are no further delays in introducing the Border TOM [target operating model] and to increase border controls for illegal meat imports as it is clear this vital work must be maintained and strengthened wherever possible.”
The NPA has recently called for the UK government to implement a number of steps to prevent and prepare for an outbreak of ASF.
The association said the British pig sector’s concerns have been exacerbated by delays in border checks on EU meat imports.
The NPA also said it was concerned at a lack of “preparedness” in the event that ASF does reach the UK pig herd.