Defra tightens pork import rules to reduce ASF risk

Defra has tightened the rules around personal pork imports to strengthen safeguards against deadly African swine fever entering the UK, protecting the country’s £8bn pig industry.

From 27 September, personal imports of pork and pork products from the European Economic Area (EEA), the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Switzerland will be banned unless they meet EU commercial standards and weigh less than 2kg.

The government says the measures aim to prevent the introduction of African swine fever (ASF) into the UK through infected meat, which could have devastating effects on both the domestic pig farming sector and the £600m pork export market.

See also: How to plan and prepare for African swine fever

Previous measures introduced in September 2022 banned the import of pork and pork products not produced to EU commercial standards that weighed more than 2kg.  

But these new rules go further, restricting the import of pork and pork products to only those produced to EU commercial standards, and limiting those imports to 2kg. 

The National Pig Association (NPA) had wanted the government to introduce a total ban on personal pork imports to the UK, which has been introduced in countries including Australia, Japan, the EU, New Zealand and the US.

However, NPA chairman Rob Mutimer told Farmers Weekly that tighter restrictions on personal imports of pork and pork products are “a positive step forward” and only came about after lobbying from the NPA, NFU and others.

“We are delighted that the government has done this, but it will only work if proper checks are carried out at the Port of Dover,” he said.

“There is an issue between Dover Port Health Authority and the government over the new way imports are being checked inland at Sevington.

“We know that illegal meat is still coming in through Dover, and we need to get this loophole shut.”

100t of illegal pork seized

The UK government says it is also investing £3.1m to support Dover Port Health Authority in tackling illegal meat imports.

Since previous restrictions were introduced in 2022, about 100t of illegal pork products have been seized, but the problem is widely considered to be far worse.

ASF is a highly contagious and deadly disease in pigs and wild boar that can be transmitted through infected meat, but poses no risk to human health.

Defra estimates that an outbreak could cost the UK between £10m to £100m.  

Anyone caught bringing pork into the UK illegally faces fines up to £5,000. These products will be confiscated and destroyed upon arrival.

Biosecurity minister Baroness Hayman said: “African swine fever is a deadly disease wreaking havoc in Europe.   

“These new measures will protect British pig farmers and pork products, preventing infected meat from being brought over the border and threatening our biosecurity.”