Governments in the UK, South Korea and Mexico have enforced bans on meat and dairy imports from Germany following the discovery of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at a buffalo farm in Brandenburg. Animals in surrounding areas are being slaughtered and zoos are closing as precautionary measures.

The outbreak is the latest blow to Germany’s struggling livestock sector, which has been crippled by rising energy prices and other diseases. 

Between 2020 and 2023, the number of livestock farms in Germany decreased by around 4%, with 7,100 farms closing. The pig population saw a 15% reduction during the same period, and the number of dairy cows in Brandenburg also decreased by nearly 40,000 between 2018 and 2023.

Currently, the UK accounts for over 30% of all pork imports from Germany. 

Eva Gocsik, an animal protein analyst at RaboResearch, tells Food Ingredients First: “As FMD is a highly contagious disease, the impact can be quite big for the livestock sector if the virus spreads further, leading to culling of infected animals and also preventive culling, and with severe market disruptions in supply, prices would be expected.”

“However, based on the statement of the German agricultural minister, Germany has no more FMD cases, so this looks like a one-off case. I think the most relevant consequence of this outbreak is the impact on trade,” she says. 

“Trade restrictions definitely have a negative impact on the German meat sector. The import bans of South Korea and the UK impact the pork sector, in which exports have already been restricted due to the presence of African Swine Fever in the country.”

However, since the outbreak and restrictions are limited to a certain region, Gocsik explains that this will ensure that trade can continue within the EU from unaffected areas of Germany. 

“The aim is to prevent disease spread. Countries are on high alert, biosecurity protocols are strengthened, transport of live animals, animal products may be restricted.”

UK National Farmers unio president Tom Bradshaw remarks: “The confirmed outbreak of FMD disease in Germany is very worrying news for all livestock keepers across the EU.”

“We welcome the swift action taken in reporting the disease so that we can minimize the risk to all livestock keepers, and it is now paramount that we make sure our borders are secure so that we don’t risk importing the disease into the UK.”

“With so much uncertainty about wher this disease is and wher it came from, and knowing the impact this horrendous disease can have, we’re calling on the government to ban personal imports of meat, milk and meat and milk products, unless accompanied by official veterinary documentation.”

“The government must also ensure that those fighting illegal meat imports, including Border Force, have the resources they need to stamp out this practice.”