🔎 Spain activates new export restrictions due to the first case of ASF in 30 years.
The Ministry of Agriculture has issued an urgent instruction after confirming an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars located in Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona). The disease has not been detected in Spain since 1994, and its appearance requires an immediate review of all health certification procedures for export.
You can read all the details of the instruction in the following links:
🔗 Link to instruction: LINK
🔗 Link to the official MAP page: LINK
📌 What does it imply for international trade?
The MAPA instruction establishes a series of measures that are already affecting operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders and inspection services:
1-Blocking ofcertificates in CEXGAN that require Spain to be a “PPA free country“. Operators cannot request these certificates until further notice.
2-Immediate suspensionsby third countries: key destinations such as Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Mexico, South Korea or the United Kingdom have issued total or partial restrictions on pork products, by-products or genetic material.
3-Higherdocumentation burden: exporters must provide full traceability – from farms of origin to processing plants – and sign a responsible declaration, especially for destinations that apply regionalization or additional conditions.
4-Required thermal treatments: export is only possible for certain products if a virus inactivation process in accordance with the OMSA Code is accredited.
5-Restricted areas: many municipalities in Barcelona and nearby counties are under restriction, which affects the origin of raw materials and associated logistic routes.
📦 Impact for the logistics chain.
These measures involve:
- Urgent review of operations with cargo already in transit or about to be shipped.
- Possible delays in certificates, inspections and validations.
- Need to verify market by market which products are still authorized.
- Close coordination between exporters, logistics operators and official veterinary services.
🌍 A key reminder
The globalization of agri-food trade requires robust traceability systems and the ability to respond quickly to sanitary incidents. This episode underscores the importance of anticipation and document control to minimize disruptions.
At Vicasso International, we are up to date with all the instructions published by the MAPA and we follow this focus and its impact on export logistics processes in detail. If you have any doubts or need help please do not hesitate to contact us..