Taiwan yesterday increased its fines on pork products brought into the country from Singapore after the city-state became the 17th nation in Asia to be affected by African swine fever, the Central Emergency Operation Center said in a statement.
Singapore identified the virus in a wild boar carcass found in the northwestern part of the city-state on Tuesday and reported the case to the World Organization for Animal Health on Thursday, the center said.
The incident suggested that African swine fever is still spreading in Asia, it said.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Taiwan has listed all Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore, as high-risk areas for African swine fever since 2019.
Pork products from those countries are banned, and those caught bringing in such products from Singapore have been fined NT$10,000 (US$332).
With the discovery of the new African swine fever case, the fine for bringing in pork products from Singapore has been increased to NT$200,000 for first-time offenders and NT$1 million for repeat offenders.
Travelers caught with pork products would be repatriated if they cannot pay the fine on-site, the center said.
People caught trying to import pork items from Singapore would face the same penalties.
The virus does not harm humans, but can be fatal to pigs and could devastate the nation’s pig farming industry, which is valued at more than NT$170 billion, the Council of Agriculture has said.
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