The head of the pig sector at UP, Rossend Saltiveri, warned that this initial figure could skyrocket, multiplying by twelve throughout 2026, as this is the minimum period required to lift control measures and export restrictions, especially to key markets like China.

The crisis has had a dramatic impact on profitability: producers have gone from earning 26 euros per pig to losing 36 euros since the appearance of ASF. The most affected are the producers located within the 20-kilometer radius of the area where the outbreak was detected, near Barcelona.

This data represents a 17% drop in the sector's turnover during November and December. Although 60 positive cases have been reported in wild boar, UP stressed that no ASF cases have been detected in any of the 57 pig farms located within the restriction radius.

Despite the absence of sick animals on the farms, the virus led to movement restrictions on 61,500 heads of livestock and directly impacted exports. Furthermore, the live pig price quotation at Mercolleida fell drastically from late November, dropping from a price similar to previous years to just 1 euro per kilo by the turn of the year.