The State Veterinary and Food Administration has issued an emergency measure allowing hunters in districts that haven't yet registered cases of the African swine fever virus to cull more wild boars, as this overpopulated species is the main cause of the spread of the virus.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, infected wild boars have been reported in a total of 29 districts to date. The ministry explained in this regard that it's no longer appropriate to shoot wild boars in these districts, as they could be startled and migrate to other districts, which could accelerate the spread of the virus.
The ministry has earmarked €5.2 million for this purpose. A portion of the money will be spent on purchasing 450 chest freezers that will be used to store culled boars. Should huntsmen kill a healthy boar, the meat will be sold to consumers. At the same time, another part of the sum will be allocated for a campaign to support the sale of wild boar meat.
