Russia allocates funds to fight ASF and FMD

//24 May 2012
To fight African Swine Fever(ASF), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Siberian plague in 2012, the Russian government will allocate 2.6 billion rubles (US$ 870 mln) from the federal budget, the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation Elena Skrynnik said at a recent meeting -‘Preparedness for emergency prevention of an infectious nature.’
About 80% of this amount, or approximately 2 billion (US 670 mln) will be used to fight ASF, as it is the biggest epizootic threat to Russian livestock. At the meeting there was reference made to the considerable work already done by the veterinary authorities to prevent the spread of disease.


"Currently in all regions of Russia registration of pigs at farms is provided, with a public awareness campaign to prevent and eliminate ASF. The regional budgets provides reserve funds in case of a ASF outbreak detection. Also on a regular basis the "hotline" receives information from the public about illness and death of pigs," according to representatives of Rosselkhoznadzor.


The Ministry of Agriculture insists that the regions at risk of ASF should adopt a program to prevent the spread of the disease and attract additional funds from regional budgets. Such programs already exist in the Krasnodar Territory, the most affected by the epidemic, where the program for 2012 provides the financing of 500 million rubles (US$ 16.6 mln), in Udmurtia - 356 million rubles (US$ 11.8 mln), and in the Rostov region - 50 million rubles (US$ 1.7 mln). Relevant programs are currently under discussion in other Russian regions.

The Republic of Tatarstan, meanwhile, is looking to identify and locate the source of ASF.

(By Vladislav Vorotnikov)