Swine fever hits Dutch economy

29 August 1997

Swine fever hits Dutch economy

THE swine fever epidemic has held back the Dutch economy in the second quarter, with the outbreak knocking Fl 1 billion (£300m) or 0.6% off gross domestic product. The economy grew 2.8%.

The second-quarter growth figure was 0.8% higher than the first three months, helped by a mass slaughter of pigs which began in February. But the preliminary growth figure failed to maintain the rates of more than 3% seen last year.